Take Words

Scripture Reading: Hosea 13-14; Joel 1-2; Revelation 9

Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, “Take away all iniquity accept what is good...we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands…’”

We live in a time where people are generally skeptical of what people say. Even among the Christian community there is an idea that we should prove it with our lives before we ever try to say it with our lips. We should “show then tell.”

We suffer from an overexposure to words and hypocrisy.

I acknowledge that.

But we must not abandon a crucial element of our return to God because it is often abused. Words matter. Words are necessary.

The way back to God is empowered by words. Words make it real.

Confession of sin and faith is an indispensable part of our return to God. Jesus said that if we won’t confess Him before men, he won’t confess us before God. Paul wrote, “If we confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.” (Romans 10:10). John tells us that, “If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

Yes, we can turn this into an impotent, meaningless ritual, but that doesn’t invalidate that necessity and importance of it. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Saying it clears the air as well. It makes what is thought and felt real and genuine.

Hosea is not suggesting saying something in a precise manner with specific words. He is not saying you have to say this in this exact way. But he is telling us what to lead with. We should lead with taking care of the elephant in the room – our iniquity and the need for it to be removed from us.

As long as we remain silent about it, there is going to be lingering doubt in our heart. We will wonder, has God truly forgiven me? As long as we hide it, we hold on to it. Once we bring it out into the open, carry it to God in the form of our words, He will take it from us.

So, return to God today. And take words with you.