my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Psalm 32:3
She wouldn’t talk to me, this little girl in El Salvador.
I offered hello and what is your name?
Hola! ¿Cómo te llamas?
But no reply.
I assumed it was my Alabama Spanish accent.
So I tried again.
Hola! ¿Cómo te llamas?
But still nothing.
Instead, the principal beside her spoke.
She said, “[something really fast in Spanish I couldn’t understand].”
I didn’t know how to respond.
I said nothing.
I smiled and walked away.
I later learned from Mario that the little girl was mute.
While she may have heard me talk to her, she couldn’t answer.
She was without voice.
Although there are only few places left where women’s voices cannot be heard in our own country, some still exist.
And in those places, I too am mute.
And my bones waste away in the silence (Psalm 32:3).
Because my Lord asks me to speak.
Like he told the demon-possessed man, I hear him also saying to me, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).
And when the healed man did, telling how much Jesus had done for him, everyone was amazed (Mark 5:20).
I too must find such voice.
I must break open my tongue to speak of his wonders.
I must use my words to ask that he neither be mute with me.
Silence isn’t golden
when speaking would be God-honoring.
Use your voice to praise God. To call out to him. To encourage your brother in him.
You weren’t made for silence. He made you to declare his praise (Isaiah 43:21). It’s part of love.
Expressing is part of healing and learning and growing and fulfilling and honoring and worshiping.
Find your own voice and use it.
You have something unique to say, something the world needs to hear.
From you.
About him.
Let it out. It’s good for you. It’s good for me. And it’s good for God’s glory.
I hope the little girl in El Salvador will learn to communicate in some manner. So she can let it out too.
And be mute no more.
* * *
Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper.
...so that I can sing to You and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Psalm 30:10,12 (HCSB)
In what venues can you use your voice for the Lord?
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25 comments:
I think, when God gives you something to say and the need to say it, He will open the venue. It may not be behind a pulpit, but there are multitudes of other places. This blog is one where you share His truth beautifully.
I am definitely grateful for our blogs. They are open areas not only for us to say what we need to say, but to dialogue back and forth among each other as well. I thoroughly enjoy the conversations and getting to know other Christ-followers like you.
Those are encouraging words I think we all need to hear. Me for sure. I avoid speaking with people in public sometimes because I'm too busy and frankly many times people tend to irritate me, especially when I'm busy.
I'm thankful God doesn't have the same attitude toward me. What else matters but His agenda? This was a good reminder.
The mental picture of the little girl who can't speak breaks my heart...
Floyd,
I’m also thankful that God doesn’t have the attitude with me like I have with others. When I get involved in something, I do not like to be interrupted, but inevitably it happens. I need more of God’s Spirit to be more patient.
And I also need to learn to be more vocal with appropriate words when that is called for. It’s easier for me to just be quiet than to speak out…
We communicate in so many ways...
Cathy,
I’m glad that communication isn’t limited just to words. I pray this little girl will learn sign language somewhere along the way. I think that is a beautiful, beautiful language on its own, with as much meaning and expression as our verbal words.
Oh friend, how I am learning this! For so long I stayed hidden in the shadows but lately He has been telling me to come out, to speak. Pray with me? It's not easy for me.
"You have something unique to say, something the world needs to hear.
From you.
About him."
This speaks to me!
Praying for you now, Heather. For us. May the Lord embolden us to say what we see…
Years ago I taught deaf children, then worked as an interpreter. I spoke with my hands. It turned out to be preparation for the time when, years later, I’d lose my voice. After my mother died I couldn’t speak at all. But I could still praise with my hands. Glorifying God with heart, soul, and body. Nothing could stop me, not even being mute.
Blessings,
~ Debra
http://debrasblogpureandsimple.blogspot.com
"Silence isn’t golden
when speaking would be God-honoring."
That is so very powerful. I've written it down to remember.
Thank you for sharing. =)
Blessings,
Sarah
Amen!! Awesome analogy!!! How can we be silent wwith such an amazing God?? :)
great piece...i think sometimes i need the opposite...the mute button to keep me from speaking...this is good stuff...
I have read those scriptures you shared many times before and not received the command to not be silent, the felt privilege of being able to speak out for Him...this post is deep...thank you so much for sharing!
Wonderful post Lisa! Actually i was in church leadership for YEARS. We went through a HORRIBLE situation and I retreated into a cave. But it was during that season that I created my blog. IT WAS and still IS my voice.
I have a voice other places, but my blog is a way to reach people who will never cross my path.
Bless you!
Beth
Debra,
Still praising him with your hands. I would love to have seen that: not letting anything stop you from praising our God!
As I was coming home from church tonight, I had some great praise music on and I HAD to move my hands (with one hand on the steering wheel at all times, of course) but I wondered what the cars beside me were thinking. I hope they realized I was praising God, not just being a crazy woman! :-)
Cindy,
You’re welcome. One thing that I absolutely love about the Scriptures being Spirit-breathed is that they continue to speak to us in new ways each time we read them. The eternal truths never change, but the Lord allows us to receive more meanings and nuances the deeper we grow in relationship with him.
I hope I never grow too prideful to learn new things each time I read through!
Beth,
God is so powerful and wise to bring good things out of bad situations like you went through. I know your blog blesses MANY people (including me!) and you have a very far-reaching voice to speak for the Lord through it. He is awesome in all His ways!
We weren't made for silence, we were made to declare His praise... to speak of His wondrous love. For years I was silent, thinking that my words weren't good enough or that nobody wanted to hear what I had to share. Lies, of course... when we were made to praise and sing and speak of His goodness! Such an encouraging post; thank you.
this made me cry. powerful, lisa. xo
Emily,
The words you write on your blog are some of most powerful ones I know, often bringing me to tears. Concise, powerful, honest, beautiful.
I thank God you’ve chosen not to be mute about all you’ve been through. Your experiences open my eyes.
Enjoy that precious baby!
Anna,
I relate. Often in my life I wonder…why would anyone want to hear what I have to say??? I’ve finally decided that whether or not want to hear it, or whether or not they listen, *I* still need to say it. For me. To God. And that’s enough.
So I pray we both stay away from silence and lies and do what we’re made to do! Thanks for leaving your comment.
This makes me think of "even the rocks cry out." God has given us such an amazing tool, one that we are not asked to take on by ourselves, but one that when combined with His spirit, completely has the power to change lives. Thank you for speaking to this to me.
Jen,
I love Luke 19:40 about the very stones crying out!
He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."
Thanks for pointing that out. And for pointing out that we don’t take this on alone. That’s a huge thing I need to remember because otherwise, my own insecurities about what I have to say or how I say it can be enough hindrances to prevent me from doing it. I’m thankful he asks us to break out of our silence and promises to be with us in our words.
Hi Lisa. :-) I think blogging is one good way to share what we know about God to like-minded people, and most especially to those who do not know Him. Just like what you did in this post. :-)
I hope the little girl would learn to have her own way of communicating.
Take care and God bless. :-)
Irene
I agree with you, Irene. Blogging gives us a voice to speak to whoever is willing to listen, both believers and those who have yet to believe. It’s an opportunity that I couldn’t have imagined just a few short years ago. I am grateful that the Lord can redeem technology for his purposes; He can definitely communicate through any and all ways that he chooses!
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