This post is Day 22 in a series of studies about “Doors & Gates”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Doors & Gates – Day 22

We could spend a lot of time thinking about the necessity of watching our words. A quick glance at the book of proverbs will give us an insight into the power of our spoken words. But what about the things that go in through the door of our mouths.

Psalm 141:3

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

The Thought

In my minds eye I see this door as a swing door, working in both directions. What goes in through the door; what I eat and drink, and what comes out through the door; what I say, are both equally important.

By asking the Lord to put a guard over his mouth the writer of this song is expressing his desire to say nothing that would displease God. If we continue reading, we get the impression that the author, David, is panicking a bit. Verse 1 is an appeal to the Lord to come quickly, so we can assume that danger was lurking not far away. David is looking to put right anything that might draw the evil nearer.

We could spend a lot of time thinking about the necessity of watching our words but there is no space here to do that. A quick glance at the book of proverbs will give us an insight into the power of our spoken words.

But what about the things that go in through the door of our mouths. Do we think carefully about what we eat and drink? Paul told the Romans that eating and drinking was nothing to do with the Kingdom of God but that we should not offend others by what we eat (Romans 14).

In these days of fast food and pizza machines which produce 24/7 we need to pay attention to our diets, more for our health than for our spiritual future.

Action

Pray today for the Lord’s guidance about what is good for your body. He knows you better than any doctor or nutritionist. Be ready to listen.

Remember that what we say, especially in haste, comes from our hearts. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Ask the Lord to purify your heart and put a guard over your mouth today.