Monday, November 7, 2011 - Mouth
"...I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress." (Psalms 17:3, ESV).
I was reviewing memory verses this morning and this one struck me. As I am reminded of that which I am convicted to surrender, it often seems to come back to my words - too harsh, too quick, too disrespectful, too impatient. My need to seek forgiveness is often correlated to the sins of my mouth. What a claim: to purpose that my mouth will not transgress!
To me, that seems like it would take a lot of focus and energy.
The last verse of this Psalm (v. 15) says: "As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness."
Oh, how the focus and energy to have a mouth that does not transgress is all worth it as it refines us to the likeness of Christ in which our satisfaction lies!
And to think "...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks...I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak..." (Matthew 12:34b, 36)
Oh, LORD, may I allow You to purify my heart, that my words may be righteous. Teach me to surrender my self-consumedness with my words - striving for my perspective to be shared, my point to be made, my words to be heard...
"in your presence there is fullness of joy" (Ps. 16:11)
"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart by pleasing in your sight, O LORD..." (Ps. 19:14)
"and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (Eph. 4:22-24)
"are being transformed into into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Cor. 3:18)
Oh, to be like Christ...to have a mouth that does not transgress...to please the LORD and be a blessing those around me with words like honey instead of vinegar!
"Us word girls just wanted to tuck some words into your heart today, because we’re really thinking that The Word in our words might really change our worlds… Isn’t that exciting?" ~ Ann Voskamp
For a list of all the daily lesson titles in the 40 Days of Surrender in one place, Click Here.
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