Monday, February 12, 2007

"I Wish You'd Hush"

When my grandmother heard something interesting or amusing she used a phrase I will always remember. In her southern accent she would say most sincerely, "I wish you'd huush". Now we knew she was being sweetly sarcastic. And of course she wanted to hear more.

After my morning devotions I thought about this memory. Let me give you the scripture and then I'll let you know why it came to mind.

Ecc. 5:1,2
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know what they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
I think maybe God would like at times to use my grandmothers phrase on me, but not in a sarcastic tone. Now you say, "Why would He want to say that to you?". Well, It all starts with the fact that I love to study and I love to read. So, I store information. Not on this worlds important information but stuff that the body of Christ would be interested in. Or maybe I should say, information that will help the body of Christ. And it pops into my head often when I'm listening to people. And here in lies the problem. That information feels kind of like a freight train running behind schedule. It is coming out unless the breaks work. I don't really want to tell people what to do---and sometimes they don't want to really hear what I have to say. Sometimes, I wish I'd hush. So the most important issue is, why would I keep my mouth shut when I know what the word of God says? Here is a good reason---I want them to hear the voice of God.
My study in my morning devotion will explain why they need to hear His voice.
In MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST by Oswald Chambers he referenced this verse in:
Exodus 20:19
"You speak with us.......but let no God speak with us....." We show how little love we have for God by preferring to listening to personal testimonies, but we don't want God Himself to speak to us. Why are we so terrified for God to speak to us? It is because we know that when God speaks we must either do what He asks or tell Him we will not obey. But if it is simply one of God's servants speaking to us, we feel obedience is optional, not imperative. We respond by saying, "Well, that's only your own idea, even though I don't deny that what you said is probably God's truth.'

And so now you know why God would probably like to tell me to "hush" at times. It is easy for them to say no to me, but what about God? So I pray that when I open my mouth, it is His voice they hear. And maybe at times I will take them straight to the scripture and then let them decide who they will listen to. And for the rest of those times, since I haven't yet experienced a hand coming down from the heavens to clamp my mouth shut(although I wish sometimes He did) I pray I'll be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit saying, "pssst-I wish you'd hush".
I"ll keep quiet here on earth and let the voice in Heaven speak.

6 comments:

Kari said...

Oh, I really loved this post! So often, *too* often, I think God is thinking and trying to tell me, "I wish you'd hush!"

Thanks for your honesty and transparency in this.

ADasa said...

Very good writing Sharon, and so true! I love the freight train analogy! I have that sometimes! EEK! My DH is a ponderer, and I've learned to ponder more from him. I wish my words were few, but the Lord isn't finished with me yet! Have you listened to the 'Hush' singing on our family blog? It's an old negro spiritual. Your post reminded me of it! D

Mom Gidcumb; Dad Gidcumb said...

First, Sharon, the picture you painted of MOM saying that brought a flood of tears to my eyes. My goodness (one of her favorite expressions), how I miss her. It is the first time in a good while that I have had that immediate response. Thanks for giving me that tearful joy!

This blog continues to confirm what we were talking about yesterday. The Lord Jesus is sooo good to continue to confirm lessons He wants to teach us. May we graciously let God do His work and be reminded to be quick to listen and slow to speak.

I LOVE YOU, MOM

ADasa said...

Sharon, can you post that song again - the one about the minister still preaching? I wanted my DH to hear it...I'll keep checking! Thx. (if you can do it that is!) D

luvmy4sons said...

Great food for thought. I am glad you didn't Huuush this time around! As a rather bold and forthright person myself I so understand this post. It gives me pause in regards to my daily training of my sons...hmmm. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

Anonymous said...

I am going to enjoy meditating on this as I close my night. Thank you so much for linking back to this oldie. You were right, it is a goodie!