Lectionary Readings for September 5, 2021
Reading One: Isaiah 50:4-9 (NRSV)
Song: Lord Speak to Me, That I May Speak (lyrics here)
Reflection
Our first lectionary reading from Isaiah gives us a picture of how the prophet saw himself: as both teacher and disciple, speaker and listener:
“The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.” (v. 4)
Isaiah sees himself as one charged to deliver the words of God to the people, but he also understands that in order to speak the words he needs to hear the words. He speaks of the daily discipline of listening to God “as those who are taught,” which is a beautiful image of humility on the part of one who is called by God to teach.
Our readings for this week carry a theme of “speaking,” but how wonderful that as we begin we are encourage to listen first. Isaiah’s humble posture is the posture we should always bring to God’s word, asking God to speak to us so that we might be formed in the image of Christ. Having been formed in his presence by his Spirit, we are then sent out into the world to declare God’s amazing love. This “teach me that I may teach” mindset is not just for the prophet or the teacher. It is for all who would show Jesus to the world. As we listen, we are formed. As we are formed, we are then used for his glory.
Almost 150 years ago, prolific hymnwriter Frances R. Havergal captured this dynamic in the classic hymn, “Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak.” Spend some time in prayer with these words and let this hymn be your cry to the Lord as you begin this week of fellowship with him and obedience to his call.*
Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou has sought, so let me seek
Thine erring children lost and lone.Oh, lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wand’ring and the wav’ring feet;
Oh, feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hung’ring ones with manna sweet.Oh, strengthen me, that while I stand
Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
To wrestlers with the troubled sea.Oh, teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.Oh, give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing pow’r
A word in season, as from Thee,
To weary ones in needful hour.Oh, fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,
Until my very heart o’erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.Oh, use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
* If the classic choir arrangement of this hymn is not your style, here is a more contemporary setting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBrNsQwwauI
Reading Two: Psalm 116:1-9 (NRSV)
Song: Psalm 116 (lyrics here)
Reflection
When I was growing up, we had a soft, prayerful song that we sang in worship when the “prayers of the people” were offered. The lyrics were simply yet profound:
Hear our prayer, O Lord,
Hear our prayer, O Lord.
Incline thine ear to us,
And grant us thy peace.
I remember as a child being intrigued by the phrase “incline thine ear to us.” It was an image of God that struck me as different from others I had heard. This wasn’t a distant, unknowable God. This was a God who was connected to his people and interested in what they had to say, who wanted to hear the cry of our hearts. I used to picture God leaning in, cupping a hand to his hear, eager to hear what we would offer to him.
The psalmist reminds us that speaking isn’t just about God talking to us, and then we talk to others. Again, before that outward, missional kind of speaking can happen we need to spend some time talking to God. The subtitle of this psalm is “Thanksgiving for Recovery from Illness,” and it begins with this same image of a God who listens:
“I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my supplications.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”—(vv. 1-2)
The Lord has heard. He has listened to the psalmist’s supplications, inclining his ear to the voice of one in distress. And God has shown himself faithful to respond, leading to a declaration of trust, “I will call on him as long as I live.”
How often those of us who follow Jesus “dive in” to the conversations of the day without first spending time in conversation with God. It’s a two-way street, and God is eager to listen. He wants to hear what is on our hearts: the pain that holds us, the worries that consume us, the fears and the hopes that sit at the center of who we are. He’s leaning it, and his ear is inclined to us.
How have you experienced this “listening” love of God? Spend some time in prayer thanking God for his mercy and grace, and let his Spirit guide you as you pour out your heart to him. Are there hidden, buried things you have yet to bring to God? Know that he does not listen to bring shame, but healing.
Reading Three: James 3:1-12 (NRSV)
Song: Consecrate
Reflection
Let’s just say it—James doesn’t pull any punches.
Where Isaiah spoke of the great privilege of listening to God speak, and the psalmist encouraged us to speak to God, now James comes along and reminds us that the words we share with others have great power. The question is, will that power be used for God’s glory, building up those he loved enough to send his Son? Or will the tongue become a “consuming fire,” offering both blessing and cursing? When the latter happens, when blessing and cursing come from one source, James is very clear—it’s not just hypocritical. It’s destructive.
James is a real wordsmith, and his images and condemnations are fiery. It would be tempting to let his words wound instead of doing the work they were meant to do, which is encourage.
Wait…what? Encourage?
Yes, encourage.
James is encouraging us to be very careful, and to remember that God has given us great power in our words. He is encouraging us to pursue consecration of our speech, making our words reflect the holiness of God instead of the darkness of human hatred. These are good words for us today. They are good words for me today. So often the conversations of Christians can have just as much, if not more, vitriol than the debates of the wider culture. James encourages us to embrace something better, something deeper, something Christlike.
For this third song, we’re offering an instrumental. I don’t often like to do that as a devotional tool. Maybe it’s because I know the propensity of my heart and mind to wander without words to focus on. But this is an opportunity to spend some time in prayer to God, asking him to consecrate our speech. It’s a prayer to let David’s words from Psalm 19 be more and more true in our lives:
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”—Psalm 19:14 (NRSV)
As the song plays, offer your prayers to God for the consecration of words you offer to others. Use this time to repent, to ask forgiveness for harsh speech which so easily overtakes us. As for the Spirit’s power to speak words of truth, healing, and wholeness.
Reading Four: Mark 8:27-38 (NRSV)
Song: Take My Life (lyrics here)
Reflection
Our gospel text brings to mind what we just read in James, doesn’t it? Out of the same mouth, Peter offers a declaration of boldest faith and then a revelation of worldly (Jesus even labels it Satanic) thinking.
Peter’s stumbling is a good image for us of the dangers of speaking too fast, but they are actually not the words I’d like us to think about as we close. As we started in Isaiah, reflecting on God’s desire to speak to us, let’s finish this week’s reading listening to the words that Jesus speaks. They, like James, are an invitation to consecration, not of the tongue, but of our entire being:
“He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.’”
This message of “whole life consecration” is a perfect image to sit with, and “Take My Life” is a perfect song for that reflection. It’s an invitation to place all that we are before Jesus, to die to ourselves so that his life might shine through us. And it includes two references to ways we use the gift of speech:
Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee
Praise and witness. If you were to sum up the mission of the church in two words, those would be good ones to use. And they are both things we do by speaking, by using the gift of speech in ways that bring glory to God and love to others.
But it begins in the heart. Jesus himself said it when condemning the Pharisees:
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”—Matthew 12:34b (NRSV)
As we finish our time of reflection and prayer, let’s ponder anew the call of Christ to be fully consecrated to him. Let’s take up our cross, die to ourselves, and let the Holy Spirit do the work in our heart that only he can.
Then out of that abundance…let’s speak.
Let the words of this classic hymn (paired with a new chorus) be your prayer as you seek a deeper level of commitment to Jesus. What parts of your heart do you still hold back from him? What would it look like for you to truly say to Jesus, “Here am I, all of me?”
Take my life and let it be consecrated to Thee
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for TheeTake my voice and let me sing always, only for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee
Take my silver and my gold, not a might would I withhold
Take my intellect and use every power as You chooseHere am I, all of me, take my life, it's all for Thee
Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love, my Lord I pour at Your feet, it's treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for TheeHere am I, all of me, take my life, it's all for Thee