Ecclesiastes 5:2 Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.

I heard a quote by Mother Theresa on time that has stuck with me.  It goes something like this:  She was asked by Larry King, “What do you say when you pray?”  She answered, “I don’t say anything, I just listen.”  Then he asked her back, “What does God say when you listen?”  She responded, “He just listens too.”  When we talk to God, it’s really more about listening.  There’s nothing we can say that He doesn’t already know.  Yes, there is a time for confession, but how are we going to be convicted of anything if we don’t listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to convict us?  Yes, there is a time to audibly praise God, but doesn’t the quiet obedience of our lives worship Him even louder?  Yes, there are times to ask God for something, but doesn’t He already know the desires of our hearts?  Better yet, doesn’t He know what’s best for us?

My mouth is my worst enemy.  I don’t know why I think people or God like to hear me talk so much.  The nuns and monks are on to something when they take a vow of silence.  I have actually lost my voice a few times in my life for no apparent reason, other than maybe God just wanted to shut me up so He could get a word in.  I continually work to be silent, especially in my “quiet” time with the Lord.  When I do, it is amazing the things that I learn, the thoughts that He shares with me, the plans that He lays out for me. 

Speak Lord, I’m listening.

Romans 14:11-12 "As I live and breathe," God says, "every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God." So tend to your knitting. You've got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God.

The day will come when everyone on earth will stand before God and admit that He is the Lord of all.  That reality is out of our control.  We need to just keep on with our work and our walk with God.  It is not our responsibility to force people to know God, or to force a sense of justice on people… their day will come in God’s timing.

This verse in the message is sort of funny to me.  “So tend to your knitting…”  I’m going to take this verse personally, although I am a crocheter as opposed to a knitter.  Actually, I’m going to take this verse on behalf of women, because I don’t know any men who are knitters or crocheters.  The Lord is right, my hands are full!  Taking care of the day to day matters of raising my four kids, of building my friendships, of honing in on the future God has for me, and in the matters of my heart as a Christian.  I can’t afford to waste a single thought or breath in trying to dole out justice to people that I think deserve it.  My heart can’t take it either.  I am wise to let those people go, to let God have His way with them, to know that someday they will stand before God and answer for their lives. 

Lord I am so grateful that You are bigger than me.  That you can handle the things that I need to let go of.  That I don’t have to fix things or people or lives.  I’m so thankful that You don’t expect me to. 

Psalm 101:1 My theme song is God's love and justice, and I'm singing it right to you, GOD.

A theme is a common thread that runs through all the different areas of our lives.  A song is so many things.  It’s a way to remember something, like a commercial jingle, or it’s a way to express yourself, or it’s an anthem.  So a theme song is an anthem that is expressed in all parts of us.  GOD’S love and HIS justice is the expression that flows through our lives.  HIS heart and HIS righteousness is what is remembered in every thought, every action, every idea and plan of his children.  We have this song running through our heads so much, that we can’t help but sing it right back at the Father of creativity, love and justice.

I’m reminded of the movie “The Emporer’s New Groove” and how Cuzco hires a band to follow him around and constantly play his theme song, and how Cuzco makes fun of the doofy guy, Kronk, for having to sing his own theme song.  Apart from being hilarious, there is a little message here.  Am I more like Cuzco who needs people to sing his theme song over him with great hype and fanfare and then stands in judgement of people who dare to walk their own walk?  Or can I be like Kronk?  Able to sing my own song with pride and to know myself so well that my song is a part of ME, and not put on me by others?  

Lord, let the music of your love and justice be my song.  Let YOUR heart resound in my life.  May my theme be rooted in the confidence of WHO YOU ARE and who you’ve called me to be.

Matthew 37-39 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

In our hearts are the things, activities, people, all the things that we love.  Our souls…. What drives us, what we’re passionate about, why we exist.  Our minds…. What we think about, what we learn, what we teach.  God’s first command is to love Him in all of those things.  If He is the core of what we love, how we treat our bodies, why we exist, what we dwell on… there really is nothing else.  HE then is our reason.  All of these things, though they are “of” Him, are still reflected in US.  So, he adds to his command to love our neighbors as ourselves.  This is not a less important command, it is equally important, he just mentions it secondly.  How do we love ourselves?  I would say that our natural desire is to put ourselves first… so that is how we need to love others… putting them first.  Really though, when HE is first, and our love for others is greater than our need to love ourselves… we are the true benefactors.

This is so opposite of what the world teaches, even the “Christian” world.  I’ve been through so much, don’t I deserve to put myself first once in a while?  Or “If mamma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”.  It’s all about perspective.  Yes, as a woman, a mother, I need to take care of myself in order to be whole, happy, and in a position to nurture.  God is not disputing that!  In fact, He is supporting that wholly!  He knows that when we love HIM first in our hearts, souls and minds, that we will be FILLED to capacity with HIM!  …the almighty, the all powerful, the great physician, the wonderful counselor, the lover of our souls, the father to the fatherless… Then loving others as ourselves comes “easy”, because we are filled with the love, mercy and compassion of our Savior. 

Oh Lord, take me completely over.  Have residence in my heart, my soul, and my mind.  Fill me up in those areas with your love, with your purpose and with your thoughts.  Fill me to overflowing so that those around me will also know you. 

1 Samuel 26:6-7 “The LORD knows I shouldn’t have done that to my lord the king,” he said to his men. “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. (NLT)

So here’s David, a bold warrior, a sensitive worshipper, a fearless leader being presented with an opportunity to finally rid himself of crazy King Saul who has been relentlessly pursuing him out of his irrational fear, but David does not take it.  David had every right to take his vengeance, he had the encouragement of his men to take his revenge, and he undoubtedly had his own emotions that were catapulting him towards relieving himself of his enemy.  This wasn’t just the guy in his army who bugged him, or someone who owed him money, or a person spreading rumors about him.  This was his mentor, who suddenly turned against him with such force as to hunt him down like an animal to kill.  David had been running and hiding from him for months, was sure to be exhausted and wanting to go home, and STILL had the ability to listen and obey God’s voice over that of his men, his own desires, and even common sense.  He gave up his rights in that moment.  Not only did he let Saul live, but he honored him before witnesses and humbled himself before him.  He recognized and declared before everyone that Saul was God’s anointed, and even defended him against an attack by his men.  He even repented for toeing the line in taking his revenge. 

This goes beyond forgiveness.  Am I willing to give up my right to be angry?  Give up my right take my vengeance?  Give up my right to listen to my well meaning supporters telling me that I have every right to feel the way I do?  Give up my right to indulge my own trashed emotions?  Not to mention… humble myself before my enemies, honor them as God’s children, and do it in front of witnesses?! 

Um, Lord this is really a big pill to swallow.  I'm going to need a big ol' glass of water with this one.  Good thing you are the wellspring of life, the living water, the well that never runs dry.