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Psalm 141:3 – Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (KJV)
Sadly, I did it again. I unleashed my tongue when I should have bitten it.
As my husband was leaving the house this morning, I made a remark to him that I was immediately sorry for, the moment after I had said it.
His remark back to me made me feel even worse. He said, "Have a great day, Babe!"
Now, I am in the kitchen making pancit, which is a type of noodle dish, and chicken adobo.
My husband is Filipino, born in Hawaii, and these are two of his favourite dishes.
I will present these for dinner this evening along with a German chocolate cake for dessert, and a most sincere, humble, verbal apology.
I wish I had remembered James 1:26. "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." Ouch!
James 3:8 also says, "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."
We may not be able to tame our own tongues, but we are told in Matthew 19:26b, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."
As we yield to the Holy Spirit, who now lives within us, through His power we can have control over our tongues. We can choose to use them to speak life instead of death.
So, because I did not yield my tongue as an instrument of righteousness this morning, I have asked my heavenly Father to please forgive me. I will also ask my wonderful, loving husband's forgiveness this evening.
As a child of God, you might identify with me in my poem as the cry of our hearts when it comes to controlling our tongue.
- Mouth Guard
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord.
Please keep a watch over my lips.
I wouldn't want to hurt someone
By the words that I let slip.
Once I unleash my blazing tongue
And go on the attack,
Though I be filled with great remorse,
I can't make the words come back.
So help me think before I speak
Lest I wound my sister or my brother
With words that satisfy my flesh
But do not build up one another.
Prayer: May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer. Amen.
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You husband is a very lucky man!
Thank you for this wonderful devotional!
That’s always a good reminder, Cheremiah.
Thank you for sharing this with us today. Blessings.
Thank you, Cheryl. A very familiar situation, unfortunately!
We’ve all been in that situation but have prepared different meals! Thanks for writing.
Good reminder to all of us!
Blessings.
Cheryl – I am sure EVERYONE can relate to this devotional. Thank you for sharing. God Bless you.
Excellent devotional Cheryl. Am sure one which will resonate with many.
Take care and keep writing.
Thanks Cheryl, for sharing this devotional with us. How easy it is to wag our tongues and hurt someone else. Blessings.
Dear Cheryl,
This is a very fine, helpful devotional.
Keep writing.
And haven’t we all done exactly what you did? I am going to submit “Mouth Guard” to our church newsletter for inclusion next month.
Thanks, Cheryl.
You are right on target this morning, I so appreciated your message and will use it at our next meeting as our opening prayer.
Thanks for your insight and sharing.
We have all done the same thing you have done and been forgiven. I pray your husband will forgive you and you know God will always forgive us if we are truly sorry for what we have done.
God bless you and yours.
I know exactly what you are talking about. My husband has dementia and I get so frustrated at times that I unleash words that I’m immediately sorry for. And I, too, ask for forgiveness. I love your poem. Thank you for sharing and letting me know that I am not alone in blurting out our frustrations.
Cheremiah, Thank you for your honesty in confessing your faults, and doing what you know is right to mend the relationship. I call that a true act of love. It also makes for a win- win situation – for both parties! I especially love your prayer at the end. It is right on target, and a good prayer to pray every day!
Cheremiah: This was a great devotional, and very timely for me as I spoke to someone in anger last night and am now regretting it. I’m feeling that God was speaking to me this morning through you, and I’m grateful for it.
Blessings.
Hi Cheryl,
Read your devotional this morning, it is so easy to say the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person isn’t it?
I like the way you expressed your thoughts and the texts you chose.
Thank you.
Cheryl, I can definitely relate. Despite clothing myself in God’s armour I still allow unnecessary words to fall out of my mouth more often than I care to admit.
Thankfully we have a loving Abba who cares enough to forgive us… often.
Blessings and thank you for sharing.
(Ontario Canada)
Thanks Cheryl,
You have delivered another great devotional. It is so important that we put our brain in motion before our tongue, otherwise we have consequences to deal with. Thankfully we have the Lord to turn to for forgiveness and help to rectify some unpleasant thing we might have said.
Blessings,
(B.C.)
We have been out and things have been said to either my husband or me and I know you want to snap back but we don’t. Later my husband will say did you see the blood running (there was no blood) but he bit his tongue so hard he was sure it must have bled. You just know if you responded in the way that person said it, oh boy, trouble. Yes, sometimes we say something wrong and say that is not how I wanted to say that or meant. Let’s start over and say it correctly.
I always say if somebody says something that really makes you angry write a letter But DO NOT MAIL OR DELIVER IT. The next day write the letter again usually the second day we have calmed down and are not so harsh.
(ON)
I so needed to be reminded of this today. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the devotional. It was timely and reminded me of many words that have slipped out of my mouth that have not been a blessing to others. We all need to know what our tongues can do.
I wanted to tell you how it shed “more light” in my life.
My youngest has lived with me since 2011. She had suffered from headaches and small focal seizures for some time. Eventually she found a doctor would would find out what the problem was. He sent her for a CT scan and an MRI. She needed immediate surgery.
But with a chunk taken out of the brain, tissue also came out affecting her emotions. What she does not have are filters and things that come out of her mouth that she has no control of until she hears it out.
When I read your devotional and came to you poem I copied it and sent it to her. She really felt it and I want to let you know that it remains by her computer and phone as she printed it out.