August 12 - Until You Say

Matthew 23:37-39

"For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23:39 ESV)

Jesus was saddened and upset with the rampant immorality and corruption of Jerusalem. He condemned the city for its history of killing the Old Testament prophets. He prophetically lamented their rejection of him. He also promised that he would not return again until the appointed time, a time when they would welcome him.

Words are powerful things. Many scriptures talk about their power and influence. Their carry confession, conviction, and compassion. They offer forgiveness, hope, and encouragement. Their carry truth, impart life, and unlock faith.

What if Jesus is waiting for you to say something in your life? What if something he has been wanting to do for you is hinging on your declaration? God is good, and loving, and all-knowing. He will not answer a prayer we are not ready for. What if our words were sometimes the act of faith that demonstrated our readiness for His blessings?

I'm not saying we stand up and declare our faithful words in a grab for material things. I don't think our faith equates to our control. However, I believe scripture is clear, as Jesus repeatedly pointed out, faith makes a difference. Sometimes you might think you believe something, but you won't really know how strongly you believe until you say it.

10 Things We Say & What We Really Mean

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. We have a lot of little things we say that don't really mean what a careful interpretation of the words would lead someone to believe. Whether they are catch phrases, idioms, web/text speak, shorthand, or whatever. Here are ten things we say and what they actually mean.

1. "Maybe." — "I don't really want to commit myself to anything."

2. "This goes without saying, but..." — "I really think this is important enough that you should know what I'm about to say before I even say it, but I am going to say it anyways. Probably because I like the sound of my own voice."

3. "Lol" — "I have nothing else to say, but I want the conversation to continue."

4. "Yeah ... yes .... uh-huh" — "I'm not paying attention to you."

5. "I just want to be me." — "I just want to be who I think everyone wants me to be." or "I want to be as strange as humanly possible and get a lot of attention."

6. "I'm starving." — "It's been at least an hour since I ate an extra large double cheeseburger."

7. "I love (nonhuman variable)!" — "I have an unhealthy affinity for (nonhuman variable)!"

8. "It's good to see you this morning." — "Oh, hey we are passing each other in the hall at church again this week."

9. "That is so EPIC!" — "I don't know what an epic is!"

10. "Outreach" — "We want people to come to an event at our church on a night not typically associated with going to church."