Speaking a NOW word from the Lord

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.  Isaiah 50:4  ESV

As I sat quietly before the Lord this morning studying...one bird awoke to let me know the morning had dawned.  He was a lone voice chirping away until he was joined by a host of other birds calling forth the morning.  He began chiming in on cue, as if his internal alarm clock was saying, “wake up, it is a new day”.

Those who desire to speak the wisdom of God to others must learn the art of listening.  We care much about the words that we speak.  Many of you will preach in the pulpit, lead a Sunday School class, facilitate a small group or teach a children’s class.  We pray that God would use us as we speak on His behalf.  For there is someone who needs to be encouraged by the word of the Lord.

 Isaiah understood from the beginning the connection between the tongue and what is spoken and the connection of God’s transforming presence.  In Isaiah 6 we see the angel touch Isaiah’s tongue with a coal from the altar to cleanse his mouth.  Then God used Isaiah to speak the word of the Lord to the people.

 The tongue of the “one who is taught” reveals the source of the wisdom.  That person sounds like their teacher.  Some versions even translate this word as a disciple.  We talk like those that those with whom we are spending the most time.  What has the greatest time allotment to your ears?  TV? Radio? News? Sports? Gossip?  The words of our mouths are formed in the channels of our ears.

 To have a sustaining word that brings encouragement to those who are weary needs a NOW word from the Lord.  Morning by morning reveals two aspects to his NOW word.  First, it reveals the priority of the word.  It comes fresh at the beginning of the day.  This does not mean that it has to be before daylight.  It just means that God moves in the environment of “first place”.  We see that Jesus often withdrew to a solitary place before the dawn to pray.  His direction for his ministry came from this “alone” times when God spoke to him.

 Secondly, the phrase refers to the consistency of the word.  It is fresh, appropriate, directive, important, applicable to you every day.  Morning after morning God awakens our ears to hear his words.  God is speaking and desires to speak.  As we listen and respond in faith to that which we hear, we begin to sound as “one who is taught”.

Our source for the NOW word is always from the Lord.  He uses our unique giftings to craft our words to bring forth his purposes on the earth.  Today, some need to hear that God has not given up on them; some need to hear that God still loves them -he always has and he always will; some need to hear “repent” and cease doing the things that hurt them; some need to know that God is with them, even when they need help to take one more step forward in life; some need to hear that God enjoys working in and through them to help others; and some need to hear that God still speaks and they have the capacity to hear his voice.

You have the words of God that sustain the weary.  Be taught of the Lord.  Be known as one who is taught of the Lord.  May He receive the glory and honor as He wakens you morning by morning for you to “hear His NOW word”.