Destroys like fire

Our Daily Bread
I attended a conference week before last and learned another lesson about why I should hold my tongue.  The presenters were having A/V issues in one of the sessions, so I jokingly said "Oh, they must be using Product A.  Ha,ha, ha...".  I heard a voice from behind me say something.  It was one of the lead support engineers for Product A!  He wasn't very happy with my little joke!  I made a quick recovery, but the damage had already been done

Isn't that the way we are in our relationships and our daily life many days?  We says things that we think are innocent that are really hurtful.  We say things that are hurtful that are very, very hurtful.  We don't think before we talk.

I had an interesting thought while writing this.  Instead of leading off a conversation or a response with our own thoughts, can we lead off with the thoughts from God?  "Lead with the Lord" is what came to mind.  It is sort of like "stop, drop and roll" if you should ever catch on fire except this is to help prevent you from using a flaming tongue!

Lord, thank you for your love and mercy and restraint.  Please help us to always "lead with the Lord" when we open our mouths or write down our words!

Psalm Sunday
Let's look at Psalm 81 today.  While studying the Old Testament the past few years, I have made many cross-references from the people of Israel to the people of today.  We do the same things!  Let us all follow our Lord God with all our hearts!


Psalm 81

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph.

1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
    shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
    play the melodious harp and lyre.
3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
    and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 When God went out against Egypt,
    he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:
6 “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
    their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called and I rescued you,
    I answered you out of a thundercloud;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
    and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”


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We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything! - Our Daily Bread web site