Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director, LHBC
Psalm 51:15
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
We do a lot of talking today. We speak, text, post, tweet…the list goes on. So perhaps a prayer for lips to be opened seems in contrast with the needs of today. It would seem the call to shut the mouths of many would be more in line.
Communication is nothing new, and words have gotten all of us into trouble at some point in time. If you are like me, a careless tongue continues to be a sin struggle. It’s easy to grow complacent in this area too. After all, James 3:8 states that the human tongue is practically impossible to tame. What about carelessness in our texts, our posts, our comments? Is there any hope for human lips? Can these same “lips” be used for praise?
If you desire to praise God, you are already at the right starting place–renewed lips begin with a renewed heart. David walks us through the process of heart renewal in Psalm 51. Our starting place is repentance. “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love” (Psalm 51:1). David reminds us that we really sin against God even though our actions may have been directed at people (Psalm 51:3). How differently would we speak and type if we all applied this accountability to our words?
Communication is such a complex area, because we speak in so many ways. For example, our lips not only speak through today’s syntax, but through body language, through tone, and through our fingers as we type. Regardless of the form of communication, it all filters through our heart. In order to bring God glory with our lips, Psalm 51 reminds us that we must bring our heart into submission to Him.
There is hope for human lips today! We are not a lost cause! Because of God’s unfailing love, our lips are also welcome at the cross. We are wise to echo David, “Create in me a pure heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10). Psalm 51:15 reminds us that the purpose for our lips is to be used for good. Are we silly to pray over our lips? No! We are wise to pray daily over the words we will speak. Create in me a pure heart, so that I can have pure speech, pure texts, pure tweets, pure posts. Show me God where my words do not bring you glory.
There is work to be done, but we do not do it alone! As we seek to learn the character of God, the Holy Spirit grows the fruit of His character in our life and it filters into every area of our life (Galatians 5:22)—even our lips. Unseal my lips today Lord. I will serve you today with my mouth. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, create in me a pure heart. Show me where my lips do not bring you glory. I submit my tongue to you, that what I speak and write would only be words that glorify you. Guide me with your Holy Spirit. Teach me wisdom and create in me the desire to be uplifting towards others. Sanctify my lips today so that I can demonstrate pure speech, pure texts, pure tweets, pure posts. I pray over my lips today–filter my words through Jesus. Amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK
Matthew 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”