With My Mouth

"I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;

with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness

to all generations."

Psalm 89:1 ESV

There are many ways to use my mouth.  I can speak out against injustice, fight cruelty, expose corruption.  I can inspire others to stand up for freedom and liberty, to defend our rights, to preserve our nation as it was created to exist.  I can get up on my soap box to enlighten others on how to live, what to wear, who we should become.  

There are many things that get my motor running and drive me to speak up.  While my mouth is used for a variety of causes, I can take a lesson from David and his desire that spoke to God's heart.  I can use my mouth to tell everyone of God's faithfulness; His steadfast character that never changes and on which can always be counted.  Now this is something to sing about, to shout from the rooftops!

Steadfast Love.  When I try to comprehend the concept of infinity, it hurts my brain.  Everything in my little world has a beginning and an end, a finite boundary.  Thinking about space going on forever is impossible.  How could I keep going and going and going and never find the end?  Or to ponder the fact that I could start counting now and never be finished; that I could just continue forever.  It's just plain crazy!

As much trouble as I have thinking about the limitlessness of space or the endlessness of the sequence of natural numbers, it cannot compare to the boundless nature of God's love.  His love can always be counted on because it is part of His character.  Paul tried to describe God's love by saying it was his desire that we could "have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is." (Ephesians 3:18 NLT)  It cannot be contained nor can it's immenseness be defined.  His love just is.

With this kind of love I can endure all things, let go of hurts, always have hope, rejoice in truth victories, never give up and cease from losing faith (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).  Rooted in God's love I will worry less about being right and getting my own way and more about letting His light shine through me.  I will be complete in the "fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:19 NLT)

Let my mouth always speak of the steadfast love of God that is mine through faith in Jesus Christ.

Covenant.  I am securely planted in God's family, surrounded by brothers and sisters who share a common bond.  Even though I often feel as if I don't belong, like someone is about to tap me on the shoulder and say, "I'm sorry, but you can't be here.  I don't know who you think you are, but this is not for you," I do belong.  My membership in this exclusive family has been guaranteed for me by the promise of God that is delivered through Christ Jesus.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, I am secure in His clutches, firmly planted in the middle of a world-wide family who accepts me as one of their own (1 John 3:1, John 1:12).

Now this is something to shout about!  What a benefit I enjoy through faith in Jesus!  Doesn't every human want to belong?  To fit  in?  To feel welcomed and valued?  Isn't this message of having a place in this world one that each person could welcome, even if it may seem foreign or foolish on the surface?  Yes.  This is the kind of message that resonates with all image-bearers because it is why we were made.  We were created for God and without Him, we are left seeking for something that will satisfy.  He also placed in us a desire to connect in meaningful ways with other humans, and there is no better place to do this than in the center of a family where we are safe and valued.

Let my mouth always speak of the covenant of God that delivers me into His family by faith in Jesus Christ.

Might.  I love to read stories about great battles.  It's not that I like fighting and warfare, but I am drawn to clashes between good and evil.  There is also something in me that desires someone to fight for me, to love me so much that they are willing to risk life and limb to save me.  I guess it's the dream of every girl to be rescued from evil by her knight in shining armor.  

Perhaps God wired me this way to draw me to Jesus (John 6:44, John 14:6).  You see, out of His great love for me He sent Jesus as my Knight in shining armor to rescue me from certain death.  I was in jeopardy of suffering eternal punishment as well as living a meaningless life of worthlessness and emptiness until He saved me (John 3:16, Romans 6:23, John 10:10.  This unlikely hero plucked me from the clutches of Death, drawing me into His loving arms and giving me reason to carry on.  He is now my Warrior who fights my battles for me, vanquishes darkness and avenges evil.

Let my mouth always speak of the valor of a God who is my mighty Warrior.

It's easy for me to get up on a soap box.  While there are many issues of which I could speak, it would please God if I would follow in David's footsteps and use my mouth to make His faithfulness known to all.  I can count on His steadfast love, the security of His promise, and the power of His might: What a better purpose to use my mouth to speak!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will trust God to do as He has said He would do.

When do I doubt my inclusion in His family?

How am I trying to fight my own battles?