Life-giving Voice – Devotion for 1/28/09
Have you ever noticed the way the words you say can take on a life of their own? You may have said something to a friend about someone or something, and before long, what you said has been twisted and turned in such a way that you know that you didn’t say that. A few years ago someone stole Mary and baby Jesus out of the church nativity scene, and it began to get a bit of news coverage. I didn’t mind the TV coverage so much, because most of the time instead of someone quoting me they simply showed me saying it. However, I have learned you have got to be extremely careful when talking to a newspaper reporter, because those words become so easily twisted and turned into something you never actually said. It reminds me of a game I used to play with my youth groups, a game called Rumors. As the group is sitting in a circle, one person turns to the person on their right and they whisper something – anything – to that person, who subsequently turns and is supposed to whisper the same thing to the next person, and so on. Inevitably, someone will change the message, and by the time it gets back to the person who originated the message, the message has taken on a life of its own. The words we say everyday have the potential to take on life.
In my devotion time this morning I was reading once again from Genesis 1, and in particular focusing on the passage of verses 20-31. In these verses I am reminded of God’s voice not just being distinct and powerful, but his voice is also life-giving. In these passages God speaks, and there is life. Today, let our voice give life in a Godly way – giving life to those that are down – giving life and hope to those who fear – giving life to the oppressed.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Powerful voice - Devotion for 1/27/09
Powerful Voice – Devotion for 1/27/09
In Genesis 1 we have this amazing creation image where God speaks, and something happens. In my devotion time this morning I was to read from Genesis 1:1-19, and it made me think about how I have the power and ability to create with my voice as well! In fact, several years ago I could create a sleeping baby with the gentle sound of my voice singing a lullaby to my sons. Moments later I could create a crying baby as I exclaimed too loudly, “I finally got him to sleep!” With my voice, I can create feelings of satisfaction, as I give praise to my wife over the meal she made. And with my voice I can create feelings of resentment, as maybe I offered up too much criticism on something. Without a doubt, I have a powerful voice. Unfortunately I am not always mindful of how I use it.
As God spoke, “Let there be light,” and then there was light, God was mindful of the power of His voice. Through His voice and His word, He created things that would benefit others. Today that is going to be my goal - that I will ever be cognizant of the ways that I use my voice, and that I may use it in such a way as to create something of benefit for someone else.
In Genesis 1 we have this amazing creation image where God speaks, and something happens. In my devotion time this morning I was to read from Genesis 1:1-19, and it made me think about how I have the power and ability to create with my voice as well! In fact, several years ago I could create a sleeping baby with the gentle sound of my voice singing a lullaby to my sons. Moments later I could create a crying baby as I exclaimed too loudly, “I finally got him to sleep!” With my voice, I can create feelings of satisfaction, as I give praise to my wife over the meal she made. And with my voice I can create feelings of resentment, as maybe I offered up too much criticism on something. Without a doubt, I have a powerful voice. Unfortunately I am not always mindful of how I use it.
As God spoke, “Let there be light,” and then there was light, God was mindful of the power of His voice. Through His voice and His word, He created things that would benefit others. Today that is going to be my goal - that I will ever be cognizant of the ways that I use my voice, and that I may use it in such a way as to create something of benefit for someone else.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Distinct Voice - Devotion for 1/26/09
Distinct voice – Devotion for 1/26/09
Everybody has a distinctive voice. Each one of us has something about our voice that makes it unique: maybe it is the tone, the clarity, or even the subtle nuances of the accent. Some people seem to think that their voice is so distinctive that when they call someone they don’t even have to say who they are (don’t you hate that?). However, to this day, I know that there are certain voices that I recognize every time. Even if it has been months since I had talked to him, I would recognize the voice of my buddy John saying, “What’s going on, Ad-man?” I certainly would recognize the “What up, dawg?” from Jay. I even recognize the voice of my dad as he still calls and tries to crank me. It is because we all have a unique, distinct voice, and if you know someone well enough you will recognize the voice when they call.
This morning in my devotion time I was reading Psalm 29, and many of the verses in the Psalm speak of the voice of God. Some of the attributes of the voice of God, as given by David, are:
• The voice of the Lord is upon the waters
• The voice of the Lord is powerful
• The voice of the Lord is majestic
• The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars
• The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire
• The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness
• The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everything says, “Glory!”
Now that’s what I would call a distinctive voice! So the question I have is this: If God’s voice is so distinctive, how come it is so difficult sometimes to recognize it? If God’s voice is so powerful and majestic, how come it is so difficult sometimes to hear it? I think the answers to these rhetorical questions would differ for each one of us. Some don’t want to hear it; some are striving to hear it, but are listening to the wrong things. We could each have hundreds of different answers to these questions. However, whatever our answers may be, today I want to encourage you to join me in simply trying to listen for that distinctive voice.
Everybody has a distinctive voice. Each one of us has something about our voice that makes it unique: maybe it is the tone, the clarity, or even the subtle nuances of the accent. Some people seem to think that their voice is so distinctive that when they call someone they don’t even have to say who they are (don’t you hate that?). However, to this day, I know that there are certain voices that I recognize every time. Even if it has been months since I had talked to him, I would recognize the voice of my buddy John saying, “What’s going on, Ad-man?” I certainly would recognize the “What up, dawg?” from Jay. I even recognize the voice of my dad as he still calls and tries to crank me. It is because we all have a unique, distinct voice, and if you know someone well enough you will recognize the voice when they call.
This morning in my devotion time I was reading Psalm 29, and many of the verses in the Psalm speak of the voice of God. Some of the attributes of the voice of God, as given by David, are:
• The voice of the Lord is upon the waters
• The voice of the Lord is powerful
• The voice of the Lord is majestic
• The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars
• The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire
• The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness
• The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everything says, “Glory!”
Now that’s what I would call a distinctive voice! So the question I have is this: If God’s voice is so distinctive, how come it is so difficult sometimes to recognize it? If God’s voice is so powerful and majestic, how come it is so difficult sometimes to hear it? I think the answers to these rhetorical questions would differ for each one of us. Some don’t want to hear it; some are striving to hear it, but are listening to the wrong things. We could each have hundreds of different answers to these questions. However, whatever our answers may be, today I want to encourage you to join me in simply trying to listen for that distinctive voice.
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