Tammy on Tuesday »

I titled today’s post “Let My Words Be Few” because the less I say, the less I get myself into trouble.

The Bible has a ton to say about the tongue, about our words, and about the power we yield in what we say. I encourage you to do a topical study of the Scriptures using a few words related to what we say. You’ll be studying for a while.

I work at my desk for long periods of time and I have found that I slouch for hours on end. Slouching has caused all kinds of issues with my neck and my right arm. Not only that, I’m sure I’m not doing my posture any favors. It will only get worse with time if I don’t do something about it.

So I found a simple solution on Amazon – a posture necklace. (My kids jokingly ask if it’s my new life-alert necklace now that I’m fifty.) The necklace is as basic as they come but, when I wear it, it notifies me when I begin to slouch with a little buzz. I’ve been wearing it at work for about three weeks now and I’ve already noticed a big difference. I’ve also noticed, from its constant reminders, I slouch A LOT! I had no idea just how much I need to focus on improving my posture. Recently I’ve begun to focus more attention on the words I speak. I sure wish I had a necklace that notified me when I am about to say careless, hurtful words. Buzz Buzz.

When I was a little girl, I earned names like jabber jaws and “Gabby Hayes. Although I don’t recall specific situations now, I remember my family saying I talked—a lot. Perhaps at that time, with lots of life ahead of me, my words were mostly innocent and naive. But whatever the case, I spoke a lot of words.  

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Words.

I’ve been thinking a lot about them lately. Did you know that we will give account for every careless word we speak/type/write – yes, even our social media posts?

Every. careless. word.

Matthew 12:34b-37 says,

For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”

Lord, let my words be few.

I recently picked up a book called “Taming the Tongue – How the Gospel Transforms Our Talk” by Jeff Robinson Sr, because I wanted to grow in speaking life-giving words and not words that hurt, discourage, or tear down.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Proverbs 18:21

Our words have the power to bring life and to bring death.  Have you ever thought about the power you yield?

And notice the verse then says, “they that love it,” meaning “they that are talkative” or “love to use their tongue to talk” will reap the fruit of whatever they say.  

Will they be words of death or life?

If you have any question about your own words having power over others, think back over your life. Are there words that someone has said that have stuck with you? 

“You’re a failure. You’ll never do anything right.”

“You are loved and cherished. I’m your biggest fan.”

Words bring death, and words bring life.

I’m halfway through the book and I’ve been soberly reminded the danger of cunning, crafty words – words that seem “safe” staying within the boundaries of what we think pleases God while trying to get our point across and using our words to hurt others.

I’ve learned not to blurt out whatever comes to my mind but that hasn’t stopped me from saying what I want even when I shouldn’t. I could be speaking carelessly about someone else’s character, situation, or plight. But, frame it just right, and I can get away with it before others. Still, it’s sin to the Lord.

I’m currently in a chapter that discusses how our words can be weapons. The author lists out how we use words in negative, hurtful ways: gossip, slander, critical talk, sarcasm, boasting, flattery, lies and deceit, angry words, grumbling, judgmental words, careless talk.

Check. Check. Yes. That’s me. Yikes. Me, once again. 

Why should I be surprised? James 3 speaks candidly about the danger we all face and the power of the tongue.  

For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us; we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. 6 How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.  Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

James 3:2-12


Yesterday, I paid special attention to my words, and I honestly felt entirely defeated by the time I laid my head on my pillow. What a bad habit I’ve fallen into. Just making a little extra effort to be aware of the why behind what I was saying, I saw my motives more clearly. I realize I’ve spent too little time considering the weight and purpose of my words and I’ve given myself a lot of freedom to say whatever I feel. Yesterday, I said words I wish I could take back. But why? It’s not merely an issue of lack of self-control. It’s a matter of the heart. Wrong words come out of my mouth when something’s wrong inside.

Wrong words come out of my mouth when something’s wrong inside.

I frankly identified with Paul. 

2So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Romans 7:21-24

I love Jesus, so why can’t I get my words under control? My words will always be a reflection of what’s going on in my heart. Only He can deliver me. And this will be a lifelong work of sanctification in me. But I’ve been given a promise.

Romans 6:14 says, For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace.

This is great news! What exactly does this verse mean? In the words of Calvin – “Sin, though it still infects you, shall not lord it over you so as to bring you into condemnation.” 

So, when hurtful words seem to rule over me, I can fall on Jesus and His work of grace. This is not just a promise regarding our words but, really, in any struggle with habitual sin. Jesus gives us grace. So what do we do?

Practically, as I face sins that are a daily challenge for me like the difficulty of controlling the tongue, my response is twofold.  We find these steps in the book of James.

 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:7-8

  • RESIST that temptation to sin and 
  • SUBMIT and turn to God and ask for His help  

As I am tempted, I will humbly confess the struggle and resist (turn away from) the temptation. Then I will cry out to God to help me. He promises to do it. 

Today is a new day, with very few words yet spoken, and I am asking the Lord to:

  • make me mindful of my words
  • help me to look for opportunities to speak words of life
  • give me wisdom when I am tempted to speak hurtful words
  • and give me the power to turn and submit to Him, trusting He will help me.

How about you? Have you given much thought to your words? Maybe it hasn’t seemed to matter much. But it matters to God. He takes careful notice of our words and warns us in the Bible of the dangers of the tongue. Just like my posture, bringing attention to my words has made me mindful of the things I need to surrender to the Lord and how the issues of my heart are reflected in my words.

Let’s try this together. Let’s speak words of life in a world full of despair. Let’s be conscious today of our speech and be vessels of mercy and kindness. Let’s surrender our tongues, our words, and our hearts to the Lord today to do what pleases Him. And, let’s trust Him to do what we cannot. 

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“Kept by the power of God,” that is the only safety.

Boy, that’s powerful. Just sit for a second and let that sink in. Do you believe it?

Several days ago, while reading in a familiar devotional – My Utmost for His Highest, I came across the phrase above and was moved. That’s it. That’s precisely it. Our only safety in this world is to be KEPT by the power of God. What a beautiful picture and promise. It’s not just something we hope could be. It is truth. We can be KEPT by God.

“Kept by the power of God.”

These words bring such comfort and urgency to my soul. Look around you. It seems our world is rapidly changing, looking less and less familiar each day. Where is love? Where is joy? Peace? Longsuffering? Gentleness? Goodness? Faith? Self-control? Where is God?

As a culture, we’ve pushed Him out.

We are unraveling.

Oddly enough, we still talk about God and insist we know Him. We share scripture memes on social media. We attend church when it suites us. But looking around, it seems we’ve ignored Him altogether. We honor Him with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. (Matt 15:8)

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

My husband quoted this familiar verse recently and a certain phrase jumped out at me for the first time.

It says we wander; we go astray. Who? Everyone. But look at the next phrase – “to his own way.”

Have you ever noticed that? “To his own way.”

Upon hearing this verse I’ve always envisioned a flock of sheep wandering aimlessly, cluelessly falling into dangerous pits they didn’t see. 

But what about the phrase “to his own way?”

The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were the poster children for “intentional wandering.” They wandered in rebellion. They wandered in grumbling and complaint, they wandered to idols, desiring the things of God APART from God.  

How did that turn out for them? Those who have read about their forty years in the desert know it didn’t turn out well. Had God not shown them mercy, none would have survived.

And, look around. What do we see? Rebellion? grumbling? complaining? idolatry? When we desire to live apart from God, we forfeit His favor, goodness, mercy, and grace. It’s not turning out too well for us is it?

Perhaps you see it.  

Are you burdened?  

Are you broken? Are you fearful?  

Are you hopeless?  

Are you wearily wandering?..

Because you don’t have to wander.

You can be kept by the power of God.

Kept

What does it mean to be kept? I love how simply the dictionary defines it.

Kept: persistent in, going on, keeping on, carrying on, continue, do something constantly, do something continually, not stop doing something, to watch over, to defend, to take care of.

I could go on.  

So you and I can be KEPT by almighty God? The answer is a resounding “YES.”

Although, long ago, I turned from my sin to salvation by the blood of Jesus and have been eternally adopted into God’s family; like a toddler I find it to be a daily decision to step into His grip and be held. It means I stop wandering – I stop looking around and I look to Him. In His grip, I have experienced the peace and safety so many are crying out for right now.

I’ll give you an example:

My father is in the hospital with COVID Pneumonia. He’s been there four days fighting the virus. Each day I call in, hoping to hear good news. My mother and several other family members are also fighting this virus right now. So, on Friday, around noon, I was the one to take him to the ER. Honestly, at the time, I had hoped they would look him over and send him home with some medicine. But, after a thorough evaluation, they wanted to admit him. I called my mom, and I could tell she was a bit distressed. Understandably. 

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My parents have been virtually inseparable all my life. They have been the ones to teach me about loving God and looking to Him, praying to Him, and trusting Him with the details of my life. What a heritage. But now it was my time to encourage them.

It’s no secret that Covid takes its toll on older individuals. When they both tested positive, they fought to keep from being fearful and to exercise their faith. I remember, Friday night, after an extended wait in the ER, my dad was transferred to a room at Christiana Hospital. Around 10:00 PM, I talked with the nurse over the phone and made sure he was settled in. Then I sat down in my reading chair to text my mom and say goodnight.  

As I picked up my phone, a song came to my mind that I had totally forgotten. My mom used to sing it to me when I was a little girl. In fact, I have only one memory of us singing it, but I can still remember all the words.  

I was probably three or four years old, and we were vacationing at our family cabin in Michigan. The place was built before 1900 and had no electricity or running water. And for some reason, we needed to telephone someone right away. I remember my mom grabbing my brother and me by the hand and walking us up the dirt road to the closest house with a telephone. I don’t really know how far it was, but I know it seemed like a long journey for our little legs to carry us.

Our cabin was very remote and surrounded by trees, and it was about dusk when we headed out. A short while later, we arrived at a nearby cabin. After making the call, my mom thanked the neighbors, and we headed back. By this time, darkness had fallen. Because of the dense trees over the road, we could barely see in front of us.  

We’ve seen bobcats, bears, even a mountain lion during our vacations there, and I remember becoming very scared. My mom picked me up and carried me in her arms. I can remember closing my eyes and burying my head in her neck, hoping we would get to the cabin soon and deciding I wouldn’t open them until we did.

Knowing I was terrified and being a little afraid herself, my mom began to sing this song,

Safe am I

Safe am I

In the hollow of His hand. 

Sheltered ore

Sheltered ore

In the hollow of His hand 

No ill can harm me

No foe alarm me

For He keeps both day and night 

Safe am I

Safe am I

In the hollow of His hand. 

She encouraged us to repeat the words as she sang. Our little voices repeated hers and we sang all the way home.

In my bedroom Friday night, I sat quite surprised to recall that memory and in such detail and that I could even remember the words of the song. I knew God wanted me to share it with her.

I texted my mom. 

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The next morning, I received a reply.  

What a wonderful reminder! I recall that memory vividly. And my mom used to sing this song to me too!  

The truth is, we ARE safe in the hollow of His hand.

We are KEPT by Him.

No ill can harm or foe alarm.  

For He KEEPS both day and night.

Friend, stop your wandering and turn to Him and be KEPT.

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  • JoAnn Dill - With losing my precious son a little over a month ago, I know I’m kept in my saviors arms here on earth, just as my son is in heaven. Thank you Tammy for sharing

  • Dianna Powelk - This made me weep. I’m struggling with health issues and it’s affecting my ability to do my job; a job I really don’t like but I can’t leave right now. These words spoke to my heart to remind me that I’m safe in God’s arms. He knows where I am..and I’m kept by Him!

  • GinamariaLewandowski - ;Beauutiful

“They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” Jeremiah‬ ‭6:14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This morning I was reading in the book of Jeremiah the prophet. He wrote to the Israelites warning of their rebellion against God and the consequences of rejecting Him. Not only would they experience God’s wrath, but sin always costs.  

Presently, God is speaking to me directly regarding a lack of discipline in my life that’s been leaving me unsettled and lacking joy. I’ll tell you a little secret but keep it between us. I was at the church the other evening and stopped to pick something up in my office. As I headed down the hall past Angela’s office door, I remembered she had a bag of chocolate candies in her cabinet. She’s always been very generous, offering them to us when we crave a little something sweet. I wasn’t hungry, but I thought it would be nice to have a little chocolate for my ride home. (I know it’s only 2 miles.) I reached into the bag and grabbed not one but six pieces of chocolate. While I dug through the bag for my favorites, I had a conversation with myself. “These little chocolates are like one bite each. If I eat six, it will be like eating a candy bar. What crime is there in eating a candy bar?”

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When I got home, I was chatting with a friend, telling her how frustrated I was with myself. “I told her how I had just eaten six pieces of chocolate, but I wasn’t even hungry. Why? To be honest, I have felt convicted about my careless eating for a while now. But I’ve reasoned it away.  

“I’m super busy, too busy to think about eating healthy.”

“I worked hard today. I should enjoy some tasty food in excess to celebrate.”  

“I’m craving Mexican. I could down a basket of chips all by myself.”

“I’m eating on the run. What treats can I find in the convenience store while I fill my car with gas?”

While we talked I thought to myself. “So what’s the big deal about getting a little too stuffed at a meal or eating just because you like the taste?” Well, for me, when I give in to the sin of over-indulgence I then become frustrated with myself. This gives way to complaining, which turns into yelling at my kids. Then I’m feeling guilty for my grumpiness and irritation, which sends me to the pantry for a snack.

I shared all of this with my friend and she expressed she deals with the same challenges. Although her scenarios were different than mine, she said, “Tammy, I just had to acknowledge it as sin. It’s a sin when you know to do right and don’t do it – down to the smallest areas in life.” Her words were like a punch in the gut. She was right. She was absolutely right. And she was willing to call overindulgence what it really is, sin.

For me, eating at times becomes an idol. And the way it tends to stay on the throne of my heart is the fact that I treat the whole thing casually. “It’s not really sin. It’s just a rough patch in my life.”

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

James‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Cor 6:19-20

Speaking of rough patches, are things like complaining, or impatience, or a little road rage really grave sins? What parent doesn’t yell at their kids now and then? Is it really that bad to get annoyed with a rude customer service rep after waiting on the phone for twenty minutes for help? What about careless words? Are they a big deal if I mean no harm?

We often gloss over our little sins and go on with life. We don’t heed God’s instruction in the small things. Because, frankly, my life looks a whole lot better than “so and so’s.”

While describing our sin as personality flaws and hang-ups and just being a “hot mess,” we look for alternative ways to draw close to God than to deal with the small stuff. We negotiate. We assume God will deal casually with us. We tell ourselves God hates sin, but what we often mean is God hates the big sins. The obvious sins. He is only slightly annoyed with our daily, minor sins – perhaps known only to us. Certainly, God understands that we aren’t perfect. Right?

God’s been pressing in. I feel the weight.

Joy comes from obedience, not outward “piety” but inward humility and surrender to God.  

When I ignore God’s conviction, even in small matters, it’s as though I have a bone out of joint. I can do my life, but joy and Peace are elusive, and God can often feel distant.

You’ve probably heard the quote by John Owen, but the truth is timeless. “Be killing sin (big and small), or it will be killing you.” (emphasis mine)

Why would God be interested in putting our sins (BIG AND SMALL) to death?  

  • Well, God is holy. 
  • Christ paid the ultimate price for our sin that separated us from God.  
  • Only because of this great sacrifice can we approach a holy, perfect God.  
  • Christ’s blood washes us clean.
  • Sin is ugly and destroys us like a cancer. 
  • And God knows the wages of sin is death. 

But little sins seem to be of no real consequence.  Just like a BB gun can’t kill you, my little sins only leave sting. Don’t believe it! 

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12

As I close, let’s look at the verse I shared at the top of today’s blog.

“They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.”

Jeremiah 6:14

Who were “they?”

They were the priests and the prophets – those who were to guide Israel in the things of God.

The problem is, they were assuring Israel that God would somehow overlook their disobedience. They wanted to heal the wound of conviction with words of peace but not repentance.   

They wanted to heal the wound of conviction with words of peace but not repentance.   

“No worries. You’re good.” They lied to the people. Rebellion was in the heart of all of Israel. I thought about my own life and how I seek to be “godly” while harboring small sins God has condemned.  

“There, there, Tammy. It’s okay. God understands.”

God understands that sin, paint it any way you want, in doses big and small, leads to death.  

God is hard on sin because He is full of love and rich in mercy toward us. He is better to us than we are to ourselves. God knows that sin will eventually destroy. And He wants us to be free to walk with Him in true peace. And He warns us of the dangers of sin:

7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  


Galatians 6:6-8 

So what do we do? Do we utter words to ourselves in hushing tones, “Shh, shh, shh, Peace. Peace. God will understand.”? Or do we deal brutally with our sin – no matter the size, so that we can walk in freedom and peace made available to us by His Son?

Let our prayer be for God to show us our sin as He sees it and for Him to help us do away with it in our hearts and lives.

“Father, I begin my day confessing my absolute need for You to empower me by Your Holy Spirit to see sin and put it death in my life. I need Your prompting. I need Your mercy. I need Your wisdom and help. Guide my steps as I seek to live in You. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. In Your presence is fullness of joy;

Psalm 16:11




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What hinders us from Getting with God on the matter?  

Maybe you have something in your life that you need to sort out, but you’ve been trying to manage it on your own instead of waiting on the Lord. In theory, you know you can cast your cares on Him. I mean, that’s what the Bible says. But for some reason, you have yet to do it.  

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One of the greatest blessings of walking in a relationship with God is understanding that when we come to Him through His Son’s sacrificial work, He becomes Our God.  

For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13

Wow! What a wonderful promise to know that the Creator God, sovereign over all, draws near to us and gives us access to His very heart. Could you receive any better news today? I think not.

  • We can be set free from the bondage of sin.
  • We can call on Him for wisdom.  
  • We can cry out in time of need.  
  • We can seek shelter when we are afraid.
  • We can walk with the one true God.
  • We can experience freedom from strongholds.
  • We can know joy and purpose in living. 

Amazing.

Yet, for some, life doesn’t often feel amazing. At times God seems distant. We find it hard to be at peace. Joy is elusive. The promises of God seem more like poetry than our guarantee. We wonder, “Sure, they are great but could they really be for me?”  

When troubles arise in our life, instead of “getting with God on the matter,” we go our own way. We say we love God but wonder if it’s worth seeking Him in time of need.  

Is this what the Christian walk should look like?  

Is this what it means to know and follow God?  

Is it all just words?  

A few days ago, I found myself in the short, three-chapter book of Zephaniah in the Old Testament. The prophet Zephaniah warns Jerusalem and her oppressors of their sin against a Holy God through idol worship. It was no surprise that the pagan nations had filled their society with false gods and wicked idol worship, even child sacrifice. But Jerusalem? They were the people who bore His name! Zephaniah condemns them for mixing their worship of God with pagan worship.  

Idol worship.  

Could it be that their problem and our problem today is the very same? 

  • career
  • money
  • social status
  • our children
  • notoriety 
  • leisure
  • comfort/convenience
  • safety

The problem for believers is not the obvious rejection of God or turning completely away from Him. We all know and build some form of “religious behavior” into our everyday life. But it is the work of unbelief on some level that leads us to put our trust in other things. Like God’s people of old, we are tempted to live with divided hearts.  

Are you worshiping with a divided heart? How would you know for sure? What are some symptoms? Zephaniah spells it out in his words spoken to Jerusalem. 

1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled 

(spoiled, marred), the oppressing city!

2 She listens to no voice;

 she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in the Lord;

she does not draw near to her God.

Zephaniah 3:1-2


Let’s simplify.

A person who suffers a divided heart:

  • does not listen to God’s voice
  • does not accept correction
  • does not trust in the Lord
  • does not draw near to God

Zephaniah continues by saying a person who has a divided heart is complacent. They are…

    those who say in their hearts,

‘The Lord will not do good,

 nor will he do ill.’

Zephaniah 1:12

A person whose heart is divided doesn’t expect good OR bad from God. They are indifferent and have a heart of complacency

I offer two more symptoms of a divided heart from Zephaniah 1:5-6

those who bow down on the roofs

to the host of the heavens,

those who bow down and swear to the Lord

and yet swear by Milcom,

those who have turned back from following the Lord,

who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”

Zephaniah 1:5-6

A divided heart worships God AND idols. 

A divided heart turns back from following the Lord and does not inquire of Him.  

Let’s consider Zephaniah’s warnings for a moment:  

  • Friend, are you professing to walk with God in daily worship but not willing to be obedient to His voice? Has He asked something of you that you continue to ignore?
  • Are you unwilling to accept correction? Or are you teachable? God gives us His Word, godly counsel from pastors and other Christ-followers, etc. Are you ignoring the help God puts before you?
  • You say you trust the Lord. Do you? Do you go to Him for His heart on the matter to obey however He leads?
  • Do you seek to draw near to God? Or do you stay at a distance feeling guilty for sin or hiding it? 
  • Do you struggle to believe that God feels one way or another about the affairs of your life? Do you believe that God desires intimate fellowship with you? 
  • Do you worship God but really love something else quite a bit too? Is God the first thing on your mind? If not, what is?  
  • Do you forget to inquire of God in the day-to-day of life? Or do you only go to God in emergencies? Do you cling to Him or assume He’s got too much to think about to consider your needs?

Maybe it’s time to get with God on the matter. God will not allow His children to walk with a divided heart for long. As you read on in Zephaniah, you see that God punishes Israel for their idol worship? Why? Because their very idol worship will be their ruin, and He loves them too much to allow them to remain in that place. 

God strips the idols from the lives of His people. He stretches out His hand to “cut off from them the remnant of Baal” along with the evil influences that led the people astray. V 4 

“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, those who have turned back from following the Lord,  who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.” Zephaniah 1:4-6

But God’s goal is not destruction. Idol worship carries with it the fingerprint of the enemy. Satan intends to kill, steal, and destroy.

God’s desire is restoration.

One of my favorite passages is found in the last chapter of Zephaniah. Are you wondering what awaits you if you bare your soul before God and confess your heart has been divided?

God welcomes repentant hearts into a warm embrace. He lovingly cares for us even when we get stuck and must turn back to Him. Look at His promise of restoration for Israel and for you and me today.

The Lord your God is in your midst,

  a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

  he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Are you struggling, friend? Get with God on the matter. 

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  • Joanne - How can God forgive me when I cannot forgive myself.

  • Joanne E Clement - So true. Thanks for the reminder that God awaits with open arms!

I have a memory from at least 15 years ago.  I was traveling with our family music ministry, and after a Sunday morning concert, the pastor took us to a lunch buffet at a nearby hotel.  The buffet was set up in a large multipurpose room with lots of windows just off from the lobby.

While we ate, two men played music in the corner – one played stand-up bass, and the other played a keyboard.  Looking around, I noticed quite a few elderly patrons.  I guess this was a popular gathering place for them every Sunday.  Our table was situated directly beside the musicians, and between songs, the bassist leaned over and said resignedly to the pianist, “What have we become?”

I still remember that moment.  My sister and I will sometimes joke when we find ourselves doing something we don’t love doing, “What have we become?”

Are you where you’ve always wanted to be?  Do you ever find yourself asking the question, “How did I get here? What have I become?!”

It’s easy to get discouraged when you compare life as it is to what you dreamed it would be as a child. Maybe you wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, President of the United States, an astronaut.  Our ambitions were big.

Ambition can continue to drive us throughout life, picking up pieces when things fall apart, piling them up to make steps to climb higher.  Often the steps crumble beneath us, and the goal we desire remains just out of reach.    

Over time we find ambition replaced with something else: mediocrity, indifference, survival, to name a few.

But there’s a better way. When you step into a relationship with Jesus, your dreams and ambitions are replaced with a relationship with Him. I’m talking about an intimate, personal relationship. It’s the most beautiful transaction ever made available to us.  You may be wondering if I mean for you to give up all these things to Him. The answer is yes. He created you. He wrote your story.

I believe and have experienced what was written in Ephesians 2:10, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The word beforehand here means “already prepared.” You can trust Him. Pursuing anything other than the plan He (your Creator) prepared for you is living LESS than the very best. What makes this truth more amazing is that we don’t need to know the whole plan. Often we don’t know anything but the next step. He who began the good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Philippians 1:6

We find examples throughout the Bible where God leads His children.  His desire is daily obedience.  The results – who we become, what we accomplish, where we end up – are all up to Him.

Right now, I’m reading in 2 Kings.  First and Second Kings give an account of the kings over Israel and Judah.  We see kings who did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and kings who pleased the Lord.  So what was the common thread for the kings who pleased the Lord? What did they do to be considered kings who pleased the Lord?  I want to share something that struck me just the other morning in the account of King Josiah.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.  2 Kings 22:1-2 (emphasis mine)

Okay, so Josiah walked in all the way of David, his father, which by the way, was according to God’s instruction.  

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AND he did not turn aside to the right or the left.

Of course, this played out in a lot of different ways.  Josiah destroyed all the altars to false gods.  He instructed the people in the things of God.  And more.  But these were the steps of obedience he encountered as he walked with the Lord. What it came down to was walking with the Lord and not turning aside to the right or the left.

That phrase “did not turn aside to the right or the left”, got my attention.

I think about when I get in my car and set out for a destination. I’m obviously wanting to get somewhere particular.  When traveling on the route, rarely is the danger that I would turn directly around and end up back where I started, Right? Wouldn’t it be strange for me to get halfway there and decide the next best thing to do is to turn around and go back in the opposite direction?  

But I CAN get distracted.  

I CAN take a wrong turn.  

I CAN ignore the GPS.  

I CAN “go with my gut on this one.”

One simple turn.  To the left or the right.

One turn off the route leads to another, and then another. 
Before you know it, you find yourself asking, “How did I get here?” 

One simple turn.

And so God tells us, do not turn to the right or the left.  Only follow Him.  He will tell you when to turn.  He will guide you on the best path.

  • Psalm 23:2b – He leads me beside still waters.
  • Joshua 1:7 – Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
  • Isaiah 30:21 –  And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
  • Proverbs 4:26-27 – Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Have you taken a wrong turn?  Do you feel completely lost in life?  Do you feel like you’re beyond hope? Guess what? I have the best news. You can do something about it this very minute.

It just takes One simple turn. Turn to Jesus.  Call out to Him. He will come to you. You don’t have to know the next step.  Just call on Him, fully surrender yourself to Him.  Let Him lead you now. The same instruction for the kings of old is yours today. Walk with Jesus and don’t turn to the right or the left. Walk with Him and let Him delight in you.

The beauty of walking with Jesus is that He’s always leading you in the paths of life.  Yes, even now, your next step can be on the path that Jesus walks with you – a path filled with hope, purpose, joy, and life!

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; Psalm 37:23

It’s just one simple turn.

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