A Mouth Endued By God
As I’ve spent my most recent evenings re-engaging with the book of Exodus, many themes and lessons have struck me both subtly and with utter conviction. While in chapter four of the book, I couldn’t help but to pause and give thanks for the evident reminders God gives through His word that He is one who empowers us and imparts upon us all that we need to do the work He has called us to. In Exodus 4:10, Moses parts his lips to speak to the Lord saying, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue”. And in Moses’ fear and self-doubt the Lord declares to him, ”I will be with your mouth and tell you what you shall speak”.
One thing that I have come to appreciate about being a part of the body of Christ is the unfamiliar yet transformative ways in which God has used it to prune my lips and suffuse them with more fruit, fearlessness, and faithfulness. This particular exchange in the book of Exodus gave me time to reflect on how far I have come in depending on the Lord to “be with my mouth” and truly believe that He is capable of doing so. On Tuesdays, in our weekly missional community group, we wrap up our time by praying diligently for the church and those who make up the body. Everyone has time to make known to the group their requests and once all requests are shared aloud, we take turns making them known to the Lord.
Several months ago, I realized I had a spiritually debilitating fear of praying aloud in a group setting. Furthermore, I noticed I rarely prayed aloud at all. After a little more time with myself, I came to find that the reason for my fear around praying aloud in a group of my peers was similar to that of Moses’ – I was unsure if I was eloquent or equipped enough to speak. I had been living with the same doubt year after year that God ultimately used as a call to draw me into an even greater relationship with Him and like a sword, to pierce my heart to shed light on the state of my spiritual maturity. Each week, with an urge to speak and pray over my brothers and sisters in Christ, I retreated to ask myself “Am I spiritually mature enough to pray aloud?”, “Do I have the right words to say?”, “Do I know enough to open my lips and pray aloud in one of God’s most meaningful ways of connecting with His children for such weighty requests made by those I love?”. The answer – none of us are, do, or ever will.
This seemingly small personal issue had come to be a deeper lesson of dependance on God and a convincing reality that led me to see how I was relying on myself, my flesh, my intellect, and my wisdom to do the very thing God has called and equipped His children to do through His power alone. This issue encouraged me to tend to my spiritual maturity, step outside of my flesh, and heed to opening my mouth. Proverbs 2:6 says “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”. So, as His children, this is what we must truly believe. Upon realizing the depths of this issue, I committed to praying for a mouth endued by God the next time I was in a group setting with a desire to pray aloud for the body of Christ. And just like that, God in His sovereignty and unchanging commitment to hearing our earnest prayers, answered. From then on, with a courage granted by the grace of God, I began to consistently and boldly pray for those I love aloud.
This is merely one of the many ways my mouth has been endued by God over the last few months. We must not forget how much we need the Holy Spirit to guide us in all we do. This sole act of submission and leaning on the Lord, helped to unearth many other ways in which I needed and should always pray for a mouth endued by God. For me, it has looked like praying diligently to speak with love and gentleness to those who are part of the body of Christ as well as those who are living outside of His will. It has been praying more faithfully for a mouth that honors Him when I am speaking to my child in times of both discipline and encouragement. It has looked like singing more faithfully out loud in communion with the congregation each Sunday, being unafraid to vocally give God His much due praise. It has been praying aloud, even in solitude; breaking the comfortability of silent prayer in moments where God is calling me to continue exercising the power He so lovingly imparts whilst giving thanks for all the crippling obstacles He has delivered me from.
Questions to ask yourself:
What obstacles do I face, if any, around using my mouth for God’s glory? I.e. speaking the truth to family, praying for those who ask, speaking in love/gentleness to those who I have experienced discomfort with
Do I truly trust and how often do I ask the Holy Spirit to guide my mouth, lead my prayers, and words before I speak? Commit to praying more for this.
Whatever your struggle has been in the faith or wherever your lack lies, be encouraged.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”