Ever been speeding to find a ‘word from God” for somebody else?
I was doing that just a couple of days ago and ran smack into the face of God Himself. It was a sort of “word to my son” moment. Yes, I was a little embarrassed for a moment and then, it was like I’m on a divine encounter! God is near and everything is okay.
It was late at night and I wasn’t in my room or office where I could pick up a copy of the Bible or my Kindle® to search for an appropriate encouragement or exhortation for a friend of mine that I was emailing. So, I picked up one of my son’s NIV Study Bibles and started flipping around. I landed in Ecclesiastes of all places and wondered what I might find there. Wow! God stuck my nose right into a passage that had a message for me. It was the beginning of the fifth chapter:
Ecclesiastes 5
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
3 A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.
I had made a commitment to God a few weeks ago to set aside a regular time to pray for the Body of Christ at Intown Community Church and I hadn’t followed through. I was all in a hurry to help somebody and I was starting to speed on ahead of God. His Word became a Speed Trap. There is a great reminder right in the middle of this passage. In verse 2: “…God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Soak up all the meaning in that. Savor the deep truth of those words.
I really need to follow through on the important commitment that God led me to as I was in dialogue with Him. That’s where I need to be driving.
