What your mouth isn't for

 ...and what it IS for.

Verse for the week: “My soul is in the midst of lions;
    I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.” Psalm 57.4

Prayer for the week:  Lord God, heavenly Father, in your Son you have given the world a pioneer of salvation and made him the true and eternal priest and mediator of his people.  Grant that we may hold fast to him in love, learn obedience in his discipleship, and so be brought into the heavenly sanctuary through him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. [K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das Jahr der Kirche, 2^nd edition (Kassel: Johannes Stauda-Verlag, 1948), p. 114.]

Bible reading for the day:  Proverbs 11.9-13

With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
¹² Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³ Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Prayer (based on TRIP* method):  Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for your living voice, Jesus Christ, and for redeeming yackety-yacks like us in him.  Repent me and your whole church of the wrong use of our mouths… such godless chatter and slander ruins our neighbor and brings down the whole city. Each day, give me a new mouth, one that speaks the truth in love and praises you above all.  In Jesus’ name I ask it, amen.

Hymn:  Follow this link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice today’s conversation with the Lord: https://vimeo.com/46203440

The Eighth Commandment

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not betray, slander, lie, or gossip about our neighbors, but defend them, speak well of them, and put the most charitable construction on all that they do.  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther, ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Benediction:  Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21) 

*The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:
T: thanksgiving
R: regret (repentance)
I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P: plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.