Speak Up!

Psalm 119:13 - "With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth."

Have you ever had an opportunity to speak up for Christ, and not acted upon it? If you are a Christian, the answer is probably, yes. In fact, if you are a Christian, like me, the answer would probably be that there were several times just this week, where you had an opportunity to say something for Christ and didn't. Psalm 119:13 isn't really a verse about evangelism, but it is a verse that reminds us that we are to constantly be talking about Christ. In this verse the Psalmist says that he actually speaks the laws that came from the mouth of God.

I imagine King David and his sons at the dinner table. The King has just returned from yet another day of battle. He is tired. The day has been long. And, more than anything else he'd like to kick back and relax. But, he is also a man after God's own heart. So, in the course of conversation he talks about the law of the Lord with his children. He repeats the ten commandments and his children tell him that they have heard it a million times before. He talks about the importance observing all of the Sabbath law. And, his children tell him that they do. The point is he is talking about it. And, he is talking about God.

Maybe it didn't really go that way with David. There is certainly much evidence that this man ignored huge portions of God's law. He was certainly a flawed instrument. And yet, he knew what he should do.

None of us like the hypocritical leader who says, "Do as I say, not as I do." But, we are all guilty of hypocrisy, every time we who name the name of Christ choose to sin. So, let's not be too tough on David here. Let's point the finger back at us. For me, I'd say, "Brian, are you taking the time to share the love of Christ with those you come in contact with? Are you talking about God with your children? Are you going beyond lip service and really living out your Christian convictions? Are you willing to share Christ with the world around you no matter what the cost? With your lips, do you recount the laws that came from the very mouth of God?" How about you?

Okay, I feel sufficiently convicted.

Dear God,

Thank You that You have spoken. Thank you that Your words are not a mystery. We don't know everything about You, but we know enough to know that You are good and Your love endures forever. Thank You that we can't know everything about You, because if we did, You wouldn't be God. Give us the courage to obey Your holy law. Give us the courage to speak up for You every opportunity that we have. Help us to make You look good to the world around us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.