27 October 2010
Psalm 119.49-72; Ecclus 28.14-26; Rev 12.1-6; Luke 11.37-52

Is there any weapon greater than the tongue? It has destroyed many. The tongue has great power and often we use it for the wrong purpose. It can destroy others and it can destroy us. The question always exists, do we have power over the tongue or does it have power over us? The greatest regrets of my life tend to be those things I have said or not said. What would our churches look like if we undertook to bless one another rather than curse? What would happen if we, as Christians, made the decision every hour that we would no longer engage in gossip or murmuring? What would the world see if we chose to speak to one another as Paul suggested, in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and encouraged one another in this life?

Does Jesus need to bridle his tongue here? No, because His purpose is to call them to repentance. He is not accusing them falsely, He is speaking the truth. They have been concerned with washing the hands rather than dealing with the stuff that is inside their hearts. The more important work is to know your motives and your heart and to allow Him to work to change those things. The lawyer who spoke up and said that when Jesus spoke harshly to the Pharisees he insulted the lawyers also must surely have regretted that statement as Jesus turns on him and his ilk and says, “No, I have an entirely different set of woes for you, thanks for reminding me.” We have always needed prophets to speak into our lives and expose the heart’s motivations to call us back to Him.

As the woman prepares to give birth to the child that will save the world the dragon comes to devour the child in one of the most sinister passages in the Bible. The imagery of the scene of a woman about to deliver with the dragon crouched before her as a mid-wife or doctor to receive the child into the world but with the intention of devouring the child is arresting. Is this a picture of the church that is, in John’s time, emerging in the world and the desire of satan to destroy it here in its infancy? We need to be aware that we indeed have an enemy both individually and corporately and that we need to be careful that we allow him no foothold in our lives and in our churches lest we become a casualty in this cosmic warfare.

You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word.
Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.