The GAP in Our Conversation

UV 1499/10000 The GAP in Our Conversation
Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Malachi 3 v 16

The focus of our conversation reflects what are our priorities in life. God is in all the thoughts of those who fear Him. Just as the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him, His ears are inclined to listen to what they speak when they converse with each other. It is mind boggling how He gets to listen to zillions of conversations across the globe at any given point in time. He not only listens but He also maintains a record of our conversations. He delights in the things we speak about Him. He is a silent participant in all our conversations. This is the reason that the scripture says that we are blessed when we order our conversation. He rejoices when we remember His name and acknowledge His presence. The word “ often” used in the uni-verse implies that the Lord is not an occasional reference in our conversation but the frequency of our including Him in our conversation denotes the role He plays in our lives, the centrality of our relationship with Him in our daily lives.

Like Jesus was listening to his two disciples talking on the road to Emmaus, He is always our companion and He is listening. He will interpret what we do not comprehend and enable us to understand the mysteries of the Lord. The Lord’s ears are always open to our cries and our prayers. He is a constant companion on every road that we travel and in everything we do. We need to be like the good teacher who stores many treasures of wisdom in his heart and shares it. Once he uses a treasure of wisdom to bless or encourage or teach another, he should bring out new ones in the course of time. Each of us is a priest, prophet and king in our spheres of influence. As a priest, through our prayers and our conversations, we stand in the gap between our families, our localities, cities, nations and God. As a prophet, our words not only throw light on what is God’s will but influences the course of events and as kings, we exercise authority, dispense justice and establish peace and order. At times, we are engaged in a priestly conversation with the Lord and with others. At other times, we are engaged in a prophetic conversation with the Lord and others just as Moses and Elijah talked with the Lord and with people. Sometimes, we are engaged in kingly conversation to establish the direction our people should take, to establish peace and secure progress. The standards of our body language as well as the content and words we use in our conversation should be minimum acceptable but preferably good and acceptable. The word “GAP” gives us a guideline for conversation: the norm of the level of our conversation should be G for good. If it falls, it should decline to not less than what is Acceptable to God and people. But we should always strive for the standard of Perfection where we do not make a mistake in anything we say or even the way we say it.

The Lord is a deep listener. What we speak to ourselves is our inner thought. He listens to our inner conversation, our self talk. When we talk to ourselves with the words and themes of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and make a melody to the Lord in our hearts, He rejoices. This is the essence of the Kingdom of God. Our souls are the territory of His kingdom. When we affirm the Word of God in our souls, His kingdom is being established. When we share the Word, His kingdom is being expanded. The language spoken in His kingdom is one of peace and grace. Every word counts and is counted. When we are careful about every thought and word we speak, it shows or proves to the Lord that we fear or honour Him, that we cherish His image in us and in others, that we want to reflect His glory and grace in and through our lives.
Prateep V Philip