It’s talking about the children of Israel and how they treated God – the One who saved them from enslavement and their self-produced problems, stemming from their stubbornness and lack of remembrance for all He’d done to rescue them.
How familiar this is to me.
Verse 36 is where it really hurts, when it says:
“…they followed him only with their words…”
Often, I speak to women about how it is very possible to say things with our lips that we don’t really mean in our heart. We do this because many of us have been so programmed to speak Christian lingo that we forget when we’re talking to God that He sees right through it. He’s far more interested in the condition of our heart than hearing cheap talk that doesn’t last any longer than the moment it leaves our lips.
Yet still, we continue to try to say the right things to prove we are one of His. Others may believe it. But He knows the heart from where it comes.
Maybe our prayer today (and everyday) should be: “God, help me not say anything today I don’t mean. Close my mouth if what comes out will not be true and honest, especially when it comes to You.”
And if we wind up saying nothing at all, at least we will know that our words didn’t guide us into insincerity. I dare say a few fewer words won’t hurt any of us…especially when the ones that do come out will be ones that we really mean.
The awesome God of truth we say we follow deserves nothing less.
3 comments:
Lisa, you hit the nail on the head. I know I have been guilty in years past of jumping on the exciting bandwagon of whatever was happening, event though my heart and mind had not thought it through, nor prayed it through.
I have a friend, a mentor---who has been through much and is teaching me to "listen" to what I say--being careful to HEAR HIM first before opening my mouth.
Very good post....and BTW, so was the one before this...you aren't ditched! You always share a good word!
Blessings on your day!
Lisa, It seems we are in the same place today. I posted on Psalm 78 too. Although, you've said it much better (and shorter!) God is worthy of much more than our mouths. He is worthy of our very lives, hearts, mouths and actions!!
love you already, new friend! lisa
"...at least we will know that our words didn’t guide us into insincerity."
Since my childhood nickname was Lee Walker Talker, I completely agree that I could go on a spoken word diet and be all the better for it!
Your statement above will give me something to chew on....and I never talk with my mouth full. ;)
Love you muchly! Bird
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