ME AND MY BIG MOUTH

SCRIPTURE: “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years” (Luke 1:13-18 NKJV).

Have your words ever alarmed you, causing you to ask, “Did I really say that out loud?” Were you mortified while wishing for a do-over? Unfortunately, spoken words are irreversible.  

After Gabriel reprimanded Zacharias for his disbelief, Zacharias may have wished for a do-over. Instead of rejoicing over Gabriel’s news, he questioned its authenticity. His thoughtless response found him in the hot seat with no place to hide.  

“Ok, Zacharias, you’ve got it! Because you did not believe my words, you shall be dumb and not speak until the day these things come to pass.” (Luke 1:20)

“Ouch! Me and my big mouth!”

And Zacharias could not speak until after his son was born. (Luke 1:64-64)

Why is expressing our faith so important?

Because expressing doubt can cause severe consequences.

For nine long months, Zacharias used hand motions, pen, and paper to communicate. Can you imagine how frustrating that must have been? And the sad part of this is that the last words he spoke were expressions of doubt.  

Because our faith is under attack.

Charles Spurgeon wrote: “Faith is that blessed grace that is most pleasing to God, and thus it is the most displeasing to the devil. By faith, God is glorified, and by faith, Satan is annoyed. He rages at faith because he sees his own defeat and the victory of grace. We are saved, justified, and brought near to God by faith, so it is no marvel that it is attacked…Faith is the standard-bearer, and the enemy aims to strike him down so the battle may be gained.” [i]

Notice: Faith is most pleasing to God and thus most displeasing to the devil. Satan abhors a Christian who trusts in God, no matter the magnitude of the promise.

It’s a busy time of the year. We might not speak gracefully when overwhelmed. What’s in your mouth? Words of faith, or doubt and despair? Next time you’re tempted to say something that may get you in loads of trouble, I suggest you quickly shove a cookie in your mouth!

KEEP THE SPIRIT OF FAITH FLOWING

Remember, Christmas is a season of miracles and an excellent opportunity to testify to God’s faithfulness. What are some ways you can communicate your faith this season?

[i] Strengthen My Spirit, Charles Spurgeon, © 2011 by Barbour Publishing, Inc., FAITH, page 108.