The Power of Your Words

You probably remember the commercial from Sprint advertising the efficiency of their Nextel “Direct Connect” where you can communicate instantaneously with groups of Nextel users.  In the ad, you see a legislative hall full of firefighters with their leader standing up front; phone in hand and the text reads, “What if firefighters ran the world?”

Speaker: “Anyone want better roads?”

Firemen in unison: “We do”

Speaker: “All in favor?”

Firemen in unison: “Aye”

Speaker: “Opposed?”

Silence

Gavel strikes…”Done”

The idea is that you can “Get more done Now” if you communicate using Nextel’s phones.  That’s the imagery that came into my mind as I read Psalm 29…

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders,

   the LORD, over many waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare,

   and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

Then a few chapters later in Psalm 33 we read…

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!

9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

When God speaks, it’s “Done”.  The voice of the LORD makes things happen; it’s powerful (Ps. 29:4).  This thought is revisited when Jesus is apprehended in the Garden of Gethsemanee.  In response to Peter cutting off Malchus’ ear, Jesus says in Matthew 26:53, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”

So if Jesus’ words to God contain that kind of power, why doesn’t he call down that angel army?  Why does he “remain silent” when accused by the high priest in Matthew 26:63?  And again in front of Pilate in chapter 27 verses 12 and 14, Jesus “gave no answer”.  Jesus’ silence begs the question, “Why don’t you use your powerful voice that gets things ‘done now’ and get yourself out of this predicament?”

The answer is found in Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  Hebrews 12:2 also points to Jesus’ desire to obey and please God the Father “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

How do you use your words?  Your words carry power.  Does your voice say things that are ultimately pleasing to God the Father?  Do you respond to His requests on your life with words of obedient submission?  I pray that you do!

JS