By Josephine Lim Weston
There’s a burden in my heart for my home country and I prayed for a number of pastors who have been abducted and not seen since. Their families and church members are worried and the police seem helpless. Looking at the political situation in my place of birth, it’s so easy for us to pass judgment and speak death and condemnation but God stirred in my heart to speak life, hope and a future for my beloved home country. My eyes begin to light up with renewed perspective, dreams and wishes for my home country and I prayed life unto her with renewed vision.
It’s easy for us to think “death” and fall back to routine and being passive with our work. Its easy for us to think “death” (the end) to our career when we face disappointments and pitfalls. It’s easy for us to think “death” (angry thoughts) and start blaming and finger pointing when there’s conflict at work or ministry or when we’re disgruntled with our employers or colleagues or with one another. It’s easy for us to speak death (scolding) and hopelessness (condemning) in relationships or marriage or family when our spouse or children don’t live up to our expectations or when we begin to compare them with another.
John 10:10b (Jesus said) I have come that they may have Life and may have it more abundantly.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I have know the thoughts I have toward you, says the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give to you posterity and hope.
It’s so easy for us to think death and speak death inside us and from looking all around us but God calls us people of faith and we are different. We are to speak life and hope even though people in our lives or around us are speaking death in broken hopes and dreams. We are to stop condemning with our speech and most importantly stop condemning oneself or one another or thinking negative thoughts in our hearts.
It’s so easy for us to pass judgement on someone when we’re hurt by them and when trust is lost but God wants us to be gracious to one another even though a situation might seem hopeless and at a deadlock. Once we allow God to work in our lives and let Life reign in us we’ll begin to see light and we’ll be slow to speak (death) and will be quick to listen (especially listening to God and what He has to say to you all along). Each time when we’re tempted to speak death and disappointment onto someone or about somebody let us be quick to stop ourselves from speaking instead turning to God and kneel down and pray, allowing the Spirit of the Lord to work in us and through us - surrendering all our thoughts and cares to the Lord. Choose to speak life or else let our mouths be silent.
It’s so important that when we’re discouraged we are to seek the giver of Life Himself and speak to Him instead of to anybody. By speaking to the giver of Life, we are then empowered to speak Life (Blessing) and begin to see Life (Blessing). Situations might not turn around immediately but changes are happening though you might not see it straight away. We just need to give it time and allow it to be nurtured back to Life. Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God All things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
Hence let’s speak words of life to our country. Let’s choose to speak words of life, encouragement and praises to our spouses, children and friends. Let’s speak words of life to our bosses, employees or colleagues. Let’s speak words of life to our jobs, careers, ministries, etc. Let’s speak words of life to ourselves that it’s not the end until God says so and until we have gone on to be with the Lord - otherwise it’s not over yet.
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
