Most of us have heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words” and “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I think these phrases are interesting because they take power away from words and how we communicate our thoughts directly through what we say.
When I think about my voice and my words, I see many milestones and inches grown over the years. My earliest memories of communication are freely documented on home videos and have created long lasting jokes with my family. My sister was very country, I was a squeaky little mouse, my younger brother sounded british and my youngest brother had a cute baby voice we copied for years.
My squeaky little voice eventually grew, but the lie I believed for so long was: “No one can hear you, people aren’t listening.” Usually when something in our life seems to be lacking, we try to make up for it in other ways, right? So one thing I knew must have be true because I heard it growing up was: “You’re so pretty.” Not to say that’s a bad thing at all, but the logic in my young mind was “Let’s make sure I stay pretty, so I can make up for this unheard voice.”
How easy it is for sin and the enemy to slide in and twist things up.
As I was recounting the milestones, I looked up and saw a giant circle rainbow in the sky. It wasn’t a rainy day and it didn’t bow or arch. Just a big rainbow dot. The incredible covenant promise our great God has made with the people He loves and created.
His voice. His voice lives in me and you, who have Christ in your heart. What power! When we speak, however that looks. When what dwells deeply inside our life-> speaks, lives will be transformed.
Isn’t that the great commission? To go and make disciples, using your voice, baptizing them, using your voice, and teaching them, using your voice. The gift of communion through words. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in those who believe and trust. Let’s ask the Voice that breaks cedars, shakes the desert, and spoke life and breathe into you and me, to use us, right where we are, wherever we are.
Psalm 29:4-9
The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; The Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
I think of the song Voice of Truth: “But the voice of truth tells me a different story, the voice of truth says do not be afraid, the voice of truth says “this is for my glory.” Out of all the voice calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.”
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