Creating Blessing

Remember how the Bible begins in the book of Genesis? It begins with a beautiful poem – almost like a song with a rhythm and refrain: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth…. God said, let there be light, and there was light! And God said, let there be a dome in the midst of the waters… and it was so. And God said, Let the waters be gathered together into one place… And it was so. 

Over and over we read, “And God said… and it was so.” It’s interesting that God speaks creation into being. From the very beginning of scripture, we learn that there is something about language, something about the spoken word that has the ability to create reality.

If you ever doubt the power of the spoken word, imagine a child who is told from a very early age, “You are so smart.” “You are so beautiful.” “You are so important. I love you.” What’s their world going to be like? Or, on the other hand, if a child is told over and over, “You’re bad.” “You’re hard-headed.” “I wish I could send you back.” What’s the world going to be like for that child as she grows up? These two children would experience two very different realities. 

It is not only children who are affected by words. Part of being created in the image of God means that we share God’s creative ability. The words we speak matter. 

My prayer for you today is that you would use your words, and your silence, carefully and with love. May you use your words to affirm and build up. And may you create a world in which God’s grace is abundant!

Let us pray: God of Hope, we all know the pain of words withheld and the pain of words used carelessly. Help us today to speak blessing on the lives of those around us. We pray today with the psalmist, that words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts would be acceptable in your sight, for you are our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.