Psalm 19:14 (NIV)
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
I have a cousin who is very dear to me. We spend a lot of time togehter and I respect what he has to say very much. That doesn't mean that we always agree, but we have never had a problem agreeing to disagree. One afternoon while we were together the conversation turned to God, and then to the church. I asked him why he didn't go to church and the answer he gave me is one that I think resounds with many.
He looked at me and said, "Because the people in the church are no different than the people in the world. They just like to act as if they are for an hour on Sunday." I tried to think of a snappy come back. How could I defend my fellow church goers, what statement could I give that would be the ultimate trump? Then it struck me that mere words would never be enough. A statement like this was the result of years of experience.
My cousin had grown-up with a mother who went to church, he had known countless numbers of others that went to church. This was no flipiant statement given by a man who wanted an easy out. This was a dead serious, "I see no difference between the way church people live compared to non-church people" statement.
As a whole, I think this is where the church fails today, especially in the United States. Yes, we have dedicated individuals who leave the doors of the church and are as focused on God all week as they were during church. We also have a great deal more who walk out those same doors having fulfilled a commitment to sit in a pew, sing some songs, and eat a wafer with grape juice. These folks no more step out of their Sunday best before they are using foul language and spreading the latest round of gossip.
As Christians, we should always say may the words of my mouth be pleasing unto you Lord. What we say and how we act are being watched. By calling yourself a Christian, non-believers will measure our God by your example. If we as Christians fall into the same sins as the world time and time again, how are we showing the unsaved that we are different?
The same is true of the meditations of our hearts. What do we focus on, what do we portary as our ultimate desire? If we meditate on the lustful things of the world we will gravitate toward the same. If we meditate on the will of God, we will gravitate toward Godly things. Simply put, if you actively seek God, people will see God through you. If you actively seek sin, then sinfullness is what you will portray.
Let us focus on making sure that the words of our lips, and the meditations of our hearts will be pleasing in the sight of our Rock and Redeemer. Then, and only then, will the world be able to look at God's people and tell that we have been set apart.
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