The Gift of Language

Dear Ones, 

I love Language!   As Job’s friend said, my “ear tries words as the palate tastes food.”  Language is defined as “the expression and communication of emotions or ideas between human beings by means of speech and hearing…” – a gracious gift from our Creator.   Words are a primary means of such expression.  Words are the expression of our thoughts.  Indeed, “A wise man’s words express deep streams of thought.”  (Job 34:3 LITV; Prov. 18:4 LB) 

There is so much that can be said about words and the Word of God is rife with examples of, and information and instruction about words.  Words can be positive or negative; constructive or destructive; healing or hurtful; loving or loathsome; sweet or bitter; lovely or lewd.  James says “blessing or cursing!”  Jesus said, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:37) 

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver,” says the Proverb.  King Solomon knew that “pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”  (Prov. 25:11;  16:24)  Medical research has proven that to be, oh, so true! 

I recently came across a delightful piece of descriptive prose that is a wonderful example of the beauty of language, and the depths of truth which it can express.  I don’t know who the author is, but I would like to share it with you, with the hope that it blesses you as it did me:- 

“If God in Christ can paint the blush on the bud which hangs from the limb of the rose,
   and make the dewdrops of morning tremble like molten diamonds 
      on the virgin-white lip of the lily;
If He can plant the rivers in lines of rippling silver, and
   can cover His valley floors with carpets of softest green,
      tacked down with lovely daisies and laughing daffodils;
If He can scoop out the basin of the seven seas, and
   pile up the great granite of the mountains until they pierce the azure skies;
If He can send a Niagara thundering on a mighty and majestic minstrelsy 
   from century to century;
If He can fuel and refuel the red-throated furnace of a million suns 
   to blaze His universe with light;
If on the lovely looms of heaven, 
   He can weave the delicate tapestry of a rainbow, and
      at eventide fashion a fleece of crimson to curtain the couch of the dying sun, and
         across the black bosom of the night that follows bind a glittering girdle 
            spangled with ten thousand stellar jewels;
Then I do not doubt His power to save and keep us, and 
   to ultimately give us an order of life in which righteousness 
      ‘shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.’ “

 In the nineteenth Psalm, David used words beautifully to describe the splendor of Creation and the Law of the Lord:- 

“The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of His craftsmanship.  Day and night they keep on telling about God…The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it, and moves out across the skies as radiant as a bridegroom going to his wedding, or as joyous as an athlete looking forward to a race!… God’s laws are perfect.  They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light.  God’s laws are pure, eternal, just.  They are more desirable than gold.  They are sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.  For they warn us away from harm and give success to those who obey them… 

“May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”   

Father, fill my thoughts with Your Words of Life – Love – Peace – Faith – Joy – Comfort – Beauty -    Assurance – Hope.  In a world where language is becoming increasingly offensive,  teach me to “keep my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking guile.”  (Ps. 34:13) 
“Let no unwholesome words ever pass my lips, but let all my words be good for benefiting others according to the need…”  (Eph. 4:29) 
“Nourish me in the words of faith.”  (1 Tim. 4:6)
“Pour grace into my lips,”  (Ps. 45:2) and
  “let my heart retain Your words.”  (Prov. 4:4)
“Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, 
   my mouth shall be filled with words of praise.”  (Ps. 63:3)

 In Agape, Eulene