No One Could Know

I love words. Words are my favorite. Particularly, words are great when they’re carefully crafted by skilled writers like Amy Poehler and her staff on the hit TV show “Parks and Recreation.” After yielding to a few episodes before making up my mind on whether I liked the show or not, I got to know the characters and decided that two of my all-time favorite TV characters are Ron Swanson and Andy Dwyer.

— And boy am I glad for the pause button on recorded showings so I can finish laughing and not miss the rest of what’s said. Such was the case of when I heard Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe in Parks & Rec) say…

“Isn’t language fun? It’s like racquetball for your mouth…”

I had to hit pause right there and have a laughing-hissy-fit.

You know, sometimes something that normally wouldn’t even draw up the corners of your mouth can hit you at the right moment and you’re a gonner. When words are knitted together with threads of precision and delivered with perfect timing, an impact is made on your soul.

That’s why I love words. They have my utmost respect.

Words build bridges, bring healing, nurture children. sell products, unite neighbors, educate learners, declare laws, set boundaries, and nourish relationships. Words can also start wars, create enemies and tear down the souls of those we love most.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” When we hear a doctor’s negative report, for example, they don’t have to be a “death sentence.” Those words are subject to change because of the overriding power of God’s words. HIS words take precedence over all other words — especially when we speak them out of our own mouths.

Psalm 103:20 says, “Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.”

So, not only do funny TV lines cause an emotional reaction and give our bellies a work out, there’s something spiritual that can take place when words are spoken out of our mouths. Angels who excel in strength are eagerly awaiting the voice of His word to be spoken so they can go to work and ensure that His words “do not return to Him void, but accomplish all that He’s sent them to do.”

Looking at that verse again, I see that it’s not necessarily the voice of God that commissions angels — it’s the voice of His word simply being spoken. That’s why we pray — most importantly, why we pray scriptures from what He’s already spoken in the Bible.

So the next time you pray, I encourage you to realize that not only is language like mouth racquetball, when we speak what God has already said in His Word, angels are being put to flight on your behalf.

“The grass withers and the flower fades, but THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOREVER.”

– Isaiah 40:8