The Forgotten Vital Organ (Proverbs 18:21)
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,

The Forgotten Vital Organ

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 

I have decided that many, many medical textbooks are wrong. Each and every one of them has actually left out a vital organ. Yes, they’ve remembered the heart and the brain and even that strange thing called a pancreas (I know it’s important, I just forget why sometimes). But look through the books all you want, and you’ll find not one mention of the most obvious vital organ of all: the tongue.

Then again, I myself often choose to ignore the importance of the tongue. I’d rather not believe it has "the power of life and death." I’d like to pretend my tongue is more like an appendix or a gall bladder – easy to forget about because it's not that important – but that's just not the case. Snapping at my family when I'm tired, nagging, and complaining all release a poison from my tongue that works its way through my whole being (James 3:6). Not only that, I infect others with my attitudes and motivations. I begin to spread a disease.

Contrast that with the "words of the wise," as Proverbs says many times. Their words heal and strengthen as they spread encouragement, wisdom, peace, and the Gospel message. Oh, and – get this – the wise actually use their tongues less than other people. The more powerful the tongue, the less it needs to be used. It's like the heart of a well-trained athlete – when someone is really in shape, the beats per minute actually decrease as the heart becomes more and more efficient. In the same way, why don't I condition my tongue to speak fewer words with more meaning?

In Genesis 1, God spoke into the darkness, and there was light. Those "mere words" created something from nothing, showing the power of speaking out. This verse has meaning for us, too, since we are created in God's image. We are meant to speak out and bring light from the darkness as He did. That’s the power of the tongue in a crazy world. The question is whether we choose to speak light or just add to the darkness.

That little muscle called the tongue holds the power of life and death. That’s no small matter. So let’s be careful how we exercise it.

REFLECTION

Grab a concordance (You can do this online: go to www.biblegateway.com.) and look up the words “mouth” and “tongue.” The reference lists are extensive. It gets even bigger if you include the words “speak” and “words.” Then, take a seven day challenge to “tame the tongue” in just one way. Perhaps try encouraging instead of complaining. Even taming just that one area is like trying to control a wildfire (James 3:5). Don’t get discouraged, but take each opportunity to thank God for the "new song" that He has given you to sing (Psalm 40:3).  

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of August 23, 2009  

SPECIAL PRAYER NEEDS

TIME IS GROWING SHORT. RALLY DAY IS ONLY A WEEK AWAY – NEXT SUNDAY AND STILL OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL HAS NEEDS! 

Chris Fancik is stepping down as Sunday School Superintendent at the end of August. Several people have been approached and asked to consider taking on this position. None have accepted. Please pray that the Lord will lead us to that person(s) he has selected for this assignment. Or that he or she might step forward and volunteer by contacting either Chris, Paul Nickel or Karen McKinney. 

We still have a need for a few more people to teach Sunday School classes beginning the end of August. Pray that God will also raise up these people to join him as he is working in and through our Sunday School ministry.

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING

Joanne Leeming           [Cousin of Karen Shorter] Suffered a stroke on Tuesday, and is undergoing treatments for Lymphoma
Nora Horecny                Scheduled for surgery on August 26, praying for positive outcome, with no current health care issues worsened by the surgery.
Spencer Douglas          Healing of his leg laceration and for pain management

FOR THOSE WHO ARE MOURNING

The family of Leanne Tidwell, friend of Sharon Wahlbrink, who’s father was called home quickly after being diagnosed with cancer and was in the care of Hospice.
 
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.--1 John 1:5-7 

In Christ,
Paul E. Nickel
Director of Christian Education
Our Savior Lutheran Church
 

Copyright 2006-2011, Our Savior Lutheran Church