Hang on His Words

~~~ Revelation 10:8-11 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Luke 19:45-48 ~~~

 

"My house shall be a house of prayer..."

 

Coming from the Jewish background Jesus would have placed

great emphasis on prayer in the synagogue.

 He did not approve of the buying and selling of goods on the front steps.

When you come to church it should be treated as a holy place

set aside for prayer.

It is through prayer that we develop

our relationship with God.

When Jesus entered the temple it was in fulfillment

of his position within the church,

but it was more about his doing the will of the Father.

 

When Jesus was in the temple teaching the people listened...

Even the elders listened at times with their ulterior motives tucked inside.

 

"...The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words."

 

The people hung on every word Jesus spoke for one of two reasons;

they either wanted to catch him saying something

they could use against him later

or they were hoping he had come to give them the words of freedom.

 

"Take and swallow it.
It will turn your stomach sour,
but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey."

 

Making our way through life with the hope of obtaining

the promised eternal reward may seem sweet at first.

As time progresses the reality sets in as we come to understand

it will be difficult,

this journey to holiness.

 

Putting into practice the great commandment of love

can become sour, not just in our stomach but in our heart.

Taking the promises and laws deep inside also implies being convicted

to put them into action.

 

How sweet to my taste is your promise!

 

 

Promises are nothing but empty words if we do not change because of them.

We routinely experience our elected officials making promises

with hollow empty words. The results can be disappointing.

Words do have power.

Whether you tell yourself words of truth or false words

you will be affected by them.

 

God's words of love, compassion, forgiveness,

and mercy creates a sweetness on my palate.

I must pass on through my words that same sweetness...

the sweetness that comes as a result of believing in the promises.

 

Keeping the words of the Lord central in our lives

safeguards us from constant sourness of heart.