Creating with Our Words

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth . . . ‘then God said, let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. . .’” So God created people in His own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:1-27 NLT)  God created the heavens, the earth and people with His Words and each time God spoke a thought; He created things that were full of life.  Everything He created was good. Have you ever thought about what you’re creating when you speak?  “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” (Proverbs 18:21 NLT)

The tongue, though a small member, can create some BIG problems in our lives and also in the lives of others.  Scripture tells us that the tongue is a fire (James 3:6) so, the words we speak with our tongues will either contribute to verbal combustion or they can be used to control or contain that fire and lessen or prevent damage.  Wisdom will show itself in our speech, but if we speak unwisely, we will be responsible for the destructive results of our words and reap the consequences.

One problem that can affect us all at times is poor communication: ‘hearing others but not really listening’ as well as attacking others with our words. You might even know some church people, who either talk too much or say hurtful things rather than using their words to bring healing, comfort and life [to others as well as themselves].  It is important that we learn how to speak in a way that both glorifies God and blesses those whom we speak about. God spoke us into existence, but the wrong words spoken from our mouths or someone else’s could result in curses instead of blessings!

I thought it would be interesting to look at some biblical saints and examine how they used words and what they created:

Eve, “the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20) was the first woman created by God and taken from Adam’s side—‘a place of protection.’  Uniquely created, she never knew what it was like not to be married.” Residing in the Garden of Eden, Eve had excellent health, wanted for nothing material, was loved by her husband Adam, and most importantly, had communion with Almighty God.  God had warned both Adam and Eve about one particular tree in the Garden: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  One day Eve was visited by Satan, who appeared in the form of a serpent and whet her desire to become all-knowing “as God,” thus tempting her to doubt and disobey God’s Word. When Satan questioned what God had told her about eating the fruit of the garden, Eve answered: “Of course we may eat it," "It's only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it or we will die." (Genesis 3:2-3 NLT) God’s warning prohibited only the eating of the fruit.  With further coaxing by the serpent, she ate [of] then shared the forbidden fruit with Adam and afterwards, both she and Adam found themselves separated from God and—expelled from the Garden. The motto here is: Obey only God’s Word and be thankful for what you have.

Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel, was the wife of Isaac and the mother of twin boys—Esau, both a skillful hunter and man of the open country and Jacob, a quiet man, who liked to stay at home.  From the beginning, Rebekah showed partiality to Jacob and Isaac favored Esau, who sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. (Genesis 25:32 NIV)  Rebekah overheard her husband ask Esau to go hunt for game and prepare a savory meal before pronouncing his final blessing upon Esau. She then told Jacob and sought his help with her plan to ensure that he received his father’s blessing instead of Esau and said: “Go out to the flocks and bring me two fine young goats. I'll prepare your father's favorite dish from them. Take the food to your father; then he can eat it and bless you instead of Esau before he dies." Jacob was apprehensive about trying to fool his father and did not want to receive a curse instead of the coveted blessing.  His mother said: "Let the curse fall on me, dear son;” Just do what I tell you. . ."  (Genesis 27:9-11) The mouths of fools are their ruin. (Proverbs 18:7 NLT)

Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior.  Gilead was his father and his mother was a harlot.  When he and his brothers were grown up, Jephthah was driven away by Gilead‘s wife and denied any inheritance in their family, because he was the son of another woman [the harlot].  Sometime later, the elders of Gilead called Jepthah to be their commander, when the Ammonites made war on Israel.  They had previously hated Jephthah and drove him from his father’s house.  But, in their troubles, they turned to him and wanted him to be their leader.  Before going to battle, Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: "If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the LORD the first thing coming out of my house to greet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."  (Judges 11:31 NLT) Unfortunately, when Jephthah returned to his home, his only daughter came out to meet him. He tore his clothes and felt miserable and wretched because, he had made a vow to the Lord that could not be broken. (Considering reading the entire account of Jephthah in Judges 11:1-40)

Mary was a young virgin, who lived in the city of Galilee. She was visited in the sixth month by the angel Gabriel, who greeted her with a salutation and blessing and told her that she was blessed among women.  He told her that she had found favor with God and was chosen to conceive and bring forth a son, who was to be called Jesus.  After pondering all of the things told to her by the angel, Mary said: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38 KJV) Although, Mary did not understand how the things she heard would come to pass in her life, she embraced the knowledge that nothing was impossible for God and accepted His will for our her life. (Luke 1:28-38)

Woman with the issue of blood: While going to the house of a ruler, whose daughter had died, Jesus and His disciples were followed by a woman, who had suffered 12 years with an issue of blood. A victim of her culture, she was considered unclean and isolated from society.  She was broke from paying doctors, still had her condition and was desperate. Considering her plight, she realized that, her only hope was Jesus: “For she said within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” (Matthew 9:21- KJV).  Suddenly, she reached and touched the hem of His garment. Even in distress and illness, this woman spoke words of faith in her heart, believed that she would be healed, and Jesus honored her faith. (Hebrews 11:6) Our faith pleases God.

We can see from these saints that WORDS HAVE POWER TO CREATE and when used without wisdom, they can cause us or others injury.  Let’s remembers that “A good person produces good deeds from a good heart . . .;” also making daily confessions [deposits] of God’s Word in our hearts will increase our faith and enable us to speak in faith--words that create life and good things (Romans 10:17; Proverbs 18:4; Luke 6:45 NLT).

Resources:          The Holy Spirit; Holy Bible

                                “Women in the Bible: Examples to Live By” Sylvia Charles