BIBLE LANGUAGE OR A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?
Yesterday we talked about the language we teach our children. Is it the language of the Bible or the language of our humanistic society?To speak a language, it has to be part of us. In our minds, our hearts, and come freely from our mouths. God gives a miracle to parents in Isaiah 59:21 (NRSV): “And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD; my spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the LORD, from now on and forever.”
So, what is coming out of your mouth? What is coming out of your children’s mouths?
Let’s look at a few examples today. I began thinking of this as I am doing my current podcast series. We are journeying through THE LAND OF MOTHERHOOD and we are now discovering that it is a JOYFUL LAND. The Scriptures about joy are far removed from our language of today.
The Bible tells us to JUMP FOR JOY with ecstatic joy and delight, not just when everything is happy and great, but when we are going through trials. When people persecute us, revile us, and say all manner of evil against us falsely (Matthew 5:1, 12 and Luke 6:22, 23). What kind of language do we use when we go through trials? Grumbling and complaining and “poor me”? Or do we rejoice in God’s unfailing goodness no matter what we are facing.
What is our daily language? Pessimism, “down in the dumps,” negativity, and even self-pity? Or do we speak Bible language? Jesus came to not only give us life but life ABUNDANTLY. Over and over again, the Bible tells us to ABOUND in our lives – in joy, hope, love, faith, self-control, patience, thanksgiving, and so on. He wants us to “abound in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58), and of course the work that God has given us to do is our realm of motherhood.
The Greek word for abounding is “perisseuo” and means “more and more, to excel, to exceed, to go beyond that which is necessary, superabundant in quantity and superior in quality, over and above, enough and to spare.”
Therefore, this is how God wants us to live and the language He wants us to speak. It’s over the top! It’s beyond the normal. In fact, how can we be anything less when we are indwelt by the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Normal Christianity is abundant, abounding, and beyond the norm. It is sub-normal Christianity to be average, normal, status quo, and fitting in with the crowd.
If we are not speaking an abounding language, we are not speaking Bible language.
What about the answer of most mothers of two or three children when asked if they are hoping for another baby? “Help, No. I’m done!” Christian men talk about “getting the snip” like having a cup of coffee.
Is that the language of the Bible? No, it is the opposite to God’s heart. It is opposite to the very first words God spoke into the ears of man. Whenever God speaks of blessing His people He speaks of multiplication. The Bible is opposite to the language of the church today.
We could go on. But I think it is time for us to line up our language with the Bible, don’t you? Do we speak Bible language or a foreign language?
Love from Nancy Campbell
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