FULL AND FOOL

The word of God is more than an articulation of a thought or feeling. It is alive! The Hebrew word (bara) used for God means to both speak and create. God speaks life and it is created. His word is spirit, that is, life giving, as the scripture says, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, by the breath of His mouth all the hosts were made.” There are spoken words of truth and written words of truth. Like Daniel said, “I will tell you what is inscribed in the words of truth.” Our charge is to listen.

Listening to the word of God is very effective. As we listen we hear words like these, “For the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” What the Lord says and instructs to be written is for listening and this then gives us something to say. As Jeremiah, a prophet, wrote, “Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.” We need an ear that is full before we have a mouth that is full. Otherwise we are just a fool instead of full.

It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Jesus