April 26, 2005

Similar To Nature!

During the winter I am generally into my office before the sun comes up. As we move further into Spring, with the sunrise coming earlier, one of the things I enjoy is waking up to the sound of the birds. At the Spiritual Growth Workshop I recently attended, one of the speakers from Lubbock, Texas commented that there they wake up to the birds coughing. I assume he was comparing the dry dusty climate of Lubbock to the fresh moist greenness of Washington State.

This morning I woke up to the sound of foghorns, a sound I also enjoy as it reminds me of how close we live to the water. After doing my morning reading I took off on the long walk I generally take on Tuesdays (my day off) and soon the sound of the foghorns was joined by the cry of seagulls. To me, those are two sounds which go well together. Then as my walk took me closer to the water the sound of the foghorns and seagulls was joined by the gentle lap of the waves against the shore. It was a beautiful symphony of nature with not a sound out of place.

As I listened to how well those sounds went together, my mind began to ponder some thoughts from James. As he discussed the tongue, he stated…
“(9) WITH IT WE BLESS our Lord and Father, AND WITH IT WE CURSE people who are made in the likeness of God. (10) FROM THE SAME MOUTH come BLESSING AND CURSING. My brothers, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT TO BE SO.” ( James 3:9-10 ESV)

James went on to provide three illustrations of how contrary to nature such use of the tongue should be recognized. (read James 3:11-12) For blessing and cursing to come from the same mouth should not be viewed as NATURAL. It should be considered against our NATURE as children of God. The two do not go together. There can be no harmony between the two.

As we recognize what sounds NATURALLY blend together may we be very mindful of the sounds which come forth from our lips? Are they what they ought to be? Do our words express that which is according to the NATURE of God Whom we claim to believe in and serve? If it is contrary to His NATURE then we should see how it is also out of place in our life and refrain from it. May we, like the psalmist David, continually seek for the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart to be acceptable in the sight of God. ( Psalm 19:14) In this way the sounds of our life will NATURALLY possess the potential to bring blessing to those who hear.

Have a great day SPEAKING WITH GOD GLORIFYING CONSISTENCY!
Carl

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Posted by Carl Hanson at April 26, 2005 1:17 PM