All of you are off-the-hook on this one.  That’s right. This one is for good old me.  ‘It’s me, it’s me, oh Lord.  Standing in the need of prayer’.  Prayer…to keep me in line.  Now, don’t worry.  I haven’t robbed a bank.  Or stolen from a neighbor’s garden.

Psalm 141: 3– ‘Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;  keep watch over the door of my lips!’  My mouth. My big mouth.  Often with foot-in-mouth disease!  Most people think it.  I  say it.  Did I hear someone say that I’m not the only one?  Really?  I’m not alone!

What comes out of our mouths can be devastating.  Guard your mouth!  Keep the hurtful words in,  allow the loving and encouraging ones to come out.  A guard–for controlling what could cause a destructive ‘wildfire’ when not restrained (James 3:1-12).  A guard who opens and closes the ‘door of my lips’. A guard who knows when to and when not to.   Wisdom to know when to keep quiet, when to shut my trap!  Wisdom also to know when to speak up and speak out.

Pray for that wisdom.  God promises to answer that prayer (James 1:5-8).  How and when that wisdom from the Lord will come, I have no idea.  Not a clue.  But when it does, and it will, you’ll know it.

Hang in there…and wait on the Lord.  My prayer is that the Lord will make me a kinder, more compassionate person who knows when to bite his tongue.  Good idea?  Not a bad prayer?  Join me?  Guess I’m not alone after all!

Prayer:  Lord, you know our foibles and failures.  Our hearts really want to be more like your precious Son.   We need your Holy Spirit’s help.  Amen.