WORDS
" I l A ^ ords a r e the tools with which I work. They have y v always fascinated me: smooth words, like water slipping over stones; warm words, like wind rippling ripe wheat; staccato words, like rain falling upon a tin roof. I love the sound of them, their meanings, even the way they appear on the printed page. I cannot leave them alone. But how careless we are with words; and yet, words God s tools too. All that we know of His grace and glory have come down to us by means of His written word, the Bible. Indeed, when He would reveal Himself to men in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the term which He used for this expression was, the Word — “ The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
If words are so important to God, then indeed we should make careful use of them. There is power in the word, not only in the Word of God, but in every word. Power to harm or heal, to comfort or condemn, power to build or to destroy. Yet how carelessly we sometimes mouth them! idle There is the idle word. What is an idle word? Presum ably, we think of it as the word of gossip, or, at best, the word of mere chatter. But an idle word really is the same as an idle person. It is one that does not work. There should be purpose back of speaking. Every word should count for something. Perhaps there is no real harm in pleasant conversation. Perhaps it may even serve the purpose of whiling away lonely hours for one who may be shut in. In this sense, it may even be a word that works for God. But so much that passes for conversation is indeed pointless chatter. God tells us that one day we shall have to give account for every idle word spoken. Surely, this must mean those words which have not worked for Him. thoughtless There is the thoughtless word. The word spoken with out consideration for another’s feelings. Not meant to injure, perhaps, but doing so just the same. The thought less word is just what the word implies: a word spoken before thinking. Hearts have been broken, people have developed life-long complexes, just because of thoughtless words. “ Think twice before speaking” is a good warning for each of us. je A t lt M There is the jesting word. Perhaps not all jesting words are harmful. There is a place for humor in life. Indeed, I think God himself must have a sense of humor, or he could not have created so many droll things in nature. The trouble with most jesting words is just what the Scripture says: they are not “ convenient.” Not convenient for whom? So often they are not convenient for the other person! So much that we say in jest is really poking fun at somebody who may not appreciate it. It is not God’s idea of convenience for us to appear to be clever at some one else’s expense.
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Helen Frazee - Bower
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." — Isa. 55:9 The thoughts of men drift down the stream of time, To lose themselves at last beneath sand. But far above, majestic and sublime, The thoughts of God are granite peaks that stand Eternal and alone. No matter how Men nobly strive to share the broken crust Of their best thinking, all one day must bow Before God's thoughts — and grovel in the dust. So let us climb the mountains of the Word: Reach out to touch God's thoughts; so let us scale The highest pinnacles. For Christ the Lord Has said that, though all else must fade and fail, These will endure. When thoughts of men all cease, God's thoughts will still be life and joy and peace.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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