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Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:12-14 (NIV)
The psalmist’s paraphrased response is, “What we speak is really important.” We choose every day between having our tongues speak evil or praise. And if we choose to keep evil and lies from crossing our lips, we also need to ask forgiveness for the times we have allowed evil and lies to escape. In asking for forgiveness, whom do I also need to forgive? How relentless am I in pursuing forgiveness and the forgiving of others?
Pursuit is an active word that suggests vigor. Pursuing peace found only in God delivers us from all our fears. And if our daily newsfeed is to be believed, we have much to fear. Fear is the most natural response to the unknown, and it blinds us to the freedom that we have to pursue peace and seek God. As the old hymn assures us, “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.”
According to this psalm, orienting our life in God’s ways—fasting from evil speech and lying lips and turning from evil—promises an abundant and joyful life. It comes to fruition through peace-making—pursuing peace.
Good days. How does one whose very life has been saved by God respond? Verse 1 of this psalm answers, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Prayer:
The psalmist’s paraphrased response is, “What we speak is really important.” We choose every day between having our tongues speak evil or praise. And if we choose to keep evil and lies from crossing our lips, we also need to ask forgiveness for the times we have allowed evil and lies to escape. In asking for forgiveness, whom do I also need to forgive? How relentless am I in pursuing forgiveness and the forgiving of others?
Pursuit is an active word that suggests vigor. Pursuing peace found only in God delivers us from all our fears. And if our daily newsfeed is to be believed, we have much to fear. Fear is the most natural response to the unknown, and it blinds us to the freedom that we have to pursue peace and seek God. As the old hymn assures us, “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.”
According to this psalm, orienting our life in God’s ways—fasting from evil speech and lying lips and turning from evil—promises an abundant and joyful life. It comes to fruition through peace-making—pursuing peace.
Good days. How does one whose very life has been saved by God respond? Verse 1 of this psalm answers, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Prayer:
Prince of Peace,
Thank You for the “grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.” Thank You for the promise of life and many good days. In Jesus’s name, amen.
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