Word Count: 726

Send Article To Friend

Print/Use Article

Contact Jerry Ousley

---

I've Kept My Mouth Shut too Long

by Jerry Ousley  
11/05/2010 / Christian Living

Man did it feel good to be able to talk again! I had gone through a bout of laryngitis and let me tell you that you just don't know how much you miss your voice until you don't have it. It gives a person just a bit of a peak into how those who are mute must feel. Of course there are alternative sources of communication, like e-mail, letters, writing notes, gesturing with your hands and so forth, but it just isn't the same as opening your mouth and saying what you want to say.

Of course we always run the risk of shoving our feet into our mouths, or at least that's a problem I have. No matter how hard I try there will come a time when I just open up wide and shove at least one foot in there. If I had to type what I wanted to say or write it down then I'd be required to put more thought into what I was saying and I'd be more apt to say it correctly or not say it at all.

If you are in another country and haven't learned the language then you might as well have a bad case of laryngitis. I know there are translation books, software and so forth but most speaking their language talk so fast who has time to look it up? My problem is that I hear very slowly so I can't even remember the words that have been used. Of course that's my problem not theirs.

There was a case of nine month laryngitis in the Bible. It's found in Luke chapter one. It involved a priest by the name of Zacharias. He had gone into the temple to do his priestly duties when all of a sudden an angel appeared to him. This angel told him that his wife, Elizabeth, was going to bear a son in her old age. He went on to instruct Zacharias to give him the name of John, telling him that his son would be the forerunner of none other than the Messiah. This was a lot of news to take in all at once and to make a long story short Zacharias doubted what he had been told.

I'd like to make a quick side-point here; when Mary, the natural mother of Jesus, received the news that she was going to give birth to the Messiah she too had some doubts. But she was dealt with very gently. Zacharias on the other hand was dealt with severely. The difference was that Mary was a young girl and had been exposed to only what she had learned at home. Zacharias was a priest. He had gone through training and knew the prophecies in the Bible. He was supposed to know.

Because of his doubt the angel told him that the sign he would receive was that he wouldn't be able to say a single word until the child was born. Just think about not being able to talk for a whole nine months!

It was on the day that the child was born that he got his voice back. All the others were trying to convince his wife to name the boy "Zacharias" after his father. He beckoned for them to get him something to write on and he wrote that the child's name would be "John." I'd say after having all this time to think about it he knew that he'd better not doubt anymore. It would have been an honor to have the child named after him but when he was obedient from that moment on his voice was loosed and he could speak. Man did he ever talk! The Bible records a very important message that Zacharias spoke once his voice had been restored.

The point is that we need to say what God is telling us. When we talk in doubt often we bind ourselves up and we aren't allowing God to work in our lives. Let's read the word of God and speak the positive things that He has given us. I don't think we have to be so guarded that we're afraid to talk, but when we begin to flavor our speech with the things of Christ we'll be a more positive witness and we just might feel better about what we're saying.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of "Soul Challenge", "Soul Journey", "Ordeal", "The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional" and his first novel "The Shoe Tree." Newer books include "Finality" and "Dividing God's Church." Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! Click here and TRUST JESUS NOW

Read more articles by Jerry Ousley

Like reading Christian Articles? Check out some more options. Read articles in Main Site Articles, Most Read Articles or our highly acclaimed Challenge Articles. Read Great New Release Christian Books for FREE in our Free Reads for Reviews Program. Or enter a keyword for a topic in the search box to search our articles.

---

Enter comments below. Due to spam, all hyperlinks posted in the comments are now immediately disabled by our system.

Please type the following word below:

Not readable? Change text.

The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Hire a Christian Writer, Christian Writer Wanted, Christian Writer Needed, Christian Content Needed, Find a Christian Editor, Hire a Christian Editor, Christian Editor, Find a Christian Writer