Lord Let None of My Words Fall

When I talk to serious Christians and nudge them towards leaving their profession and pursuing full-time ministry usually their response is something like, "NO WAY!" And then they go on to explain that it is too heavy a responsibility. That it would be easy to lead people astray and they do not want that responsibility.

I understand their concern... I write blogs semi regularly, I speak at least twice a week, and beyond that I counsel people. So, that is a lot of words... a lot of words that I hope are right! I hope that I am not doing a poor job of explaining the Book to others. I hope I am rightly dividing the Word so that I don't have any need to be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). But I admit it can be a heavy task.

As I was reading the Bible in my devotional time I saw something that stood out to me. "The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground... The Lord continued to reveal himself to Samuel through his word" (1 Samuel 3:19,21) So, for Samuel their was a revealing of the Lord through the Word of the Lord and then there was a speaking that did not fall to the ground. Verse 20 says that everyone perceived Samuel to be a prophet. God was using this young Samuel to communicate God's own truths to people. And, God did not let a word of Samuel fall to the ground... What does that mean? Could it mean that God mastered Samuel's tongue so that he never spoke an out of place word? Could it mean that God guarded Samuel's tongue to help him always speak truthfully? I desperately want this in my life. I want God's mastering power to rule my tongue. So that when I speak the words are true and faithful to the Word of words, the Bible. 

James teaches us this:

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. (James 3:1-2)

So let me end by praying that God would guard my tongue. That he would so master my heart that I wouldn't speak any word that lead people astray. Lord keep my words from falling to the ground. Gaurd the hearts and minds of the students from anything I say or do that is not inline with your Word. Amen.