One small sentence

I can't tell you how often I consider that God must surely be weary of me.

I'm constantly challenging Him, questioning Him, and just needlessly picking away at him. If I were Him, I'd smite me just to get rid of the annoyance. It's a good thing I'm not Him though, because I'd probably be smiting a lot of other people as well.

Right now, I've literally got a sentence in my mouth, waiting to be spoken. Once an hour or so, the temptation to speak my sentence nearly overwhelms me and I have to tamp it back down until the temptation goes away. There's nothing wrong with the sentence at all, except that I know God doesn't want me to say it.

I've become almost obsessively convinced that speaking it, could cost me something. I might never know the cost, might never see a reward and know that it's specifically connected to my obedience in speaking this sentence or not. But, while everything else I know may be only 99% sure, I can tell you with 100% assurance that if I speak this sentence, I will always always wonder "what if".

And when it comes to God, nothing is worth that.

Almost everyone has their sentence. Mine has lasted two days but generally you get new ones every day, often a new one in every single conversation. It's a phrase, a thought, or a word that -- just before spoken -- is accompanied with the silent tug of the Holy Spirit telling you not to say it. Most often it's a negative statement, hurtful statement, or just an out and out lie.

Lately I've been getting cranky about all the people verbally bashing our President. Our country is much the same as any church. Half the people will like what the pastor is doing, and half won't. Divided, those churches fail at their goal; reaching the lost. Any church that is united is not only strong enough to stand the attacks of it's Enemy, but compelling enough to draw others in. The state of your church is usually evident when one of it's members opens their mouths to speak about another member.

The bible talks about the power of the tongue. Often. The book of James has a lot to say about it. James 3:4&5 gives the example of how great ships are turned and steered by a small helm, then compares how the tongue also is a small member of the body but can do much. It's made me wonder more and more what is so special about my sentence. The temptation to speak it aloud even if no one is around is great. In a way, that pressure only strengthens my resolve to leave my sentence unspoken. I may never see why I've got this sentence, may never see the consequences of speaking it or not speaking it. But I don't have to see, I only have to walk.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10