Fire

....Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze.  James 3:5b TPT

Watching a huge fire rip through a seaside suburb in Victoria, Australia on TV recently. I was reminded of the great power of fire.  It can be stopped only with great skill of the firefighters or a huge deluge of rain.  Its power is amazing and yet it starts with just a spark.  

That is how the apostle James describes the power of the tongue.  In The Passion Translation it reads this way; "And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power. Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze.  And the tongue is a fire!  It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness and is the most dangerous part of our human body.......It releases a fire that can burn through the course of human existence."  Wow!  Strong and sobering words.

When I was a child (and I am sure I have written this before!), my mother used to encourage me with these words when kids were mean to me, "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me."  How good that sounds but how untrue it is.  Words are one of the most destructive weapons there are.  Many of us still suffer from harsh or mean words that were spoken over us during our lives and many of us probably wish we could take back words that we have spoken harshly to others.  We can't do that but we can repent and ask forgiveness from God and whoever we hurt.

If you read on a few verses in James it has more to say about the tongue, but the thing that struck me was "It releases a fire that can burn through the course of human existence."  Many people go to their graves in sadness and degradation because of words that have told them they are no good, they'll never make it, they are stupid, fat or dumb.  

As I meditated on this topic I remembered that God took hold of the tongues of his disciples when he released the Holy Spirit into the world at Pentecost.  Not only that, but tongues of fire appeared above each of them.  (Think about that and let God speak to you.)  The answer for control of the tongue is to allow the Holy Spirit to have control of your life.  He can also cleanse the effect of powerful negative words that have been spoken over you, or that you have spoken over yourself,  as you allow his words of love and affirmation to flow over you as you read your Bible.  I have loved you with an everlasting love....You are chosen and precious...... I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future....   On and on they go.  God believes in you and accepts you.  Allow him to wipe away the power of negative words.  Or, perhaps you are to be who helps someone else to break the power of negative words spoken over their lives.  

Let's go into the new year cleansed of the negative and filled with God's affirmation of love and purpose so that we can fulfil what he has planned for our future.

Prayer:  Wonderful, loving Father, thank you for the great power that is available through you to bring about change in my life and the lives of others.  Forgive me for speaking negative words over my life.  Help me to believe what you say about me.  Please help me to take all that you want to give me so that I can be a channel of your great blessing in the year ahead.  Amen