Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth

I am told that one of the golden rules of a carpenter is measure twice, cut once. And I was thinking this morning, that “Think twice, speak once” would be a good rule for my mouth! James tells us that if anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man (James 3:2). It’s a bit of a problem, since as Jesus tells us “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). As I thought about these things, it struck me that the verse at the head of this post is Old Testament where the emphasis is primarily about rules and behaviour (Psalm 142:3). The New Testament however points out that rules are never enough, we have to go deeper, we have to go to the heart of the matter (pun intended)!

For the longest time after I became a Christian, I was operating in Old Testament mode, trying valiantly to change my behaviour and beating myself up when I failed. What needed to change was my heart. But how can I do that? The Lord speaking through Jeremiah asks “Can the leopard change its spots?” It goes on to say “Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil” (Jeremiah 13:23). But it’s not hopeless, because speaking of the New Covenant, the Lord tells us ”I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:26, 27).

Some have understood the New Covenant as a more exacting law to be obeyed (Galatians 3:1ff). But if it is impossible to keep Old Testament law, how can we keep the more exacting standards where lust is equated with adultery, and hate with murder (Matthew 5:21, 27)? We cannot do this without Him, it is His spirit that moves us to follow His degrees. It is He who is at work us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. We do have a part to play of course, and our part is to present our minds and souls and bodies as a living sacrifice. It is then that we will be transformed but the renewing of our hearts and minds (Philippians 2:12, 13; Romans 12:1, 2).

Father, I want to thank You for Your Word that tells me that the lions share my transformation is Your work. My part is to trust, to believe, and to present all that I am, and all that I have to You. But I need You even for this Lord. I know that I am not there yet Lord, and if I think I am, then I need to be careful lest I fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). But what do I know Lord, is that You who began a good work in me, will bring it to fullness in Your time (Philippians 1:6). And I thank You for these things again this morning Lord, in Jesus Name Amen.