Scripture:
I said: “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
I was mute and silent, I held my peace to no avail and my distress grew worse. My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned…then I spoke with my tongue…
Observation:
Mouth. Tongue. Untamed. A restless evil: So says James. So did David way before him…and it is still the same today.
Application:
Matt 12:34 “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Many moons ago I was taught this invaluable fact: Whatever comes out of my mouth is directly related (correlates or is equal) to what is in my heart; that is, if my mouth speaks a curse word it is because cursing flows through my heart like an undammed river.
I have tried to side step the enormity of this implication. “Oh, It only slips out every once in a while.” “Sometimes I just can’t help it.” And the worse of all: “It’s a habit and doesn’t really hurt anyone. It has become a societal norm (Everyone does it…).”
Jesus told us that if I think sin it is the SAME as doing it…not as bad as; it is the same. As above: If I say sinful stuff guess where it came out of? Yep: my heart.
David writes of trying to plug up that hole under his nose. He tried and tried. And eventually the guard fell, the barriers broke loose, the dam broke.
I have done that. “Keep your trap shut!” I say often to myself. But what I didn’t (and don’t) do was to tamp the fire down, thrown water on the burning embers of my heart. “Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble” boils in the caldron of my inner being.
I have two choices: 1) Throw off the chains of righteousness that bind me and give full vent to the roaring of my heart. This will make me “feel better”, “get it off my chest” so that I can start over. Uh, huh…yep that is a holy response…Not!
Or: 2) Do like David did and review the doctrine of Man through the lens of the Gospel: “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!…And now O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Deliver me from my transgressions…” Ps 39:7-8a.
I am temporary on this earth. I take my next breath by the Grace of God alone.
The first part of Ps 39 I think is a guy just like me who thinks that his thoughts are important thoughts and need to be spoken—spoken with all the fire and burning in my belly. I think this reads like a description of self-righteousness. Could be wrong I suppose…(shrug of my shoulders) I don’t think so though.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, what can I do with my mouth? I want apples of gold in settings of silver coming out of it but too often other stuff comes out. Help me remember the benefits of the Gospel, the doctrines of Grace that remind me of my lowly estate that has been Redeemed. I do not want to think too highly of myself. Humble my tongue, O God. AMEN