Let Every Person Be… Slow to Speak – Towards God

“What if I said, ‘Stop praying’? What if I told you to stop talking at God for a while, but instead to take a long, hard look at Him before you speak another word? Solomon warned us not to rush into God’s presence with words. That’s what fools do. And often, that’s what we do.”

Francis Chan caught my attention when I started reading his book, Crazy Love. I guess the thought had never crossed my mind, I needed to watch my words towards God? Chan explains further, “The wise man comes to God without saying a word and stands in awe of Him.”

Solomon, as referenced, put it this way, “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few” [1]. When we look at the Scriptures, we see this holiness of God impressed upon us. One bite of an apple, and man cast out of his presence. A burning bush, and holy ground. A tabernacle, and a dividing curtain.

In Isaiah, we hear the seraphim around the throne saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” [2] It’s likely familiar scripture, but I’m not sure we always stop to consider the importance of the repetition. Jackie Hill Perry explains in her book, Holier Than Thou. “In Hebrew language and literature, the use of repetition was common practice… Rarely in Scripture do you see this literary device used to the third degree; never do you see it used to the third degree to address an attribute of God except here in Isaiah and Revelation.” [3]

If we are going to approach God, creator of heaven and earth, creator of life and humanity, then we need to consider who he is. And if only one attribute is repeated three times, then we need to pay attention.

When Isaiah and John both describe their vision of the throne, they, respectively, cry out “woe is me!” and fall down as though dead [4]. I love the connection that Perry makes later on in her book, “what’s most intriguing about both of their reactions is that being in God’s company didn’t inspire praise first but confession… God was holy and they were not.” 

Isaiah responded in words of despair, and John was left speechless entirely. Does our posture ever reflect this? Do we ever sit before God in lamentation over our sin, or in complete awareness of the gap that exists between his holiness and our sinful nature? I know my tendency is what Solomon warns against – to rush in with words. 

At the same time, we know words aren’t bad, rather, necessary. God commands that we “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” [5]. He wants to hear from us. We can pray His words of Scripture, and, “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present (our) requests to God” [6]. What an overwhelming gift to be invited to cry out directly to the Lord. That he would hear us. That he would care for us. That he would fill us with guidance.

In her book, Keep it Shut, Karen Ehman gives a humbling example of how her husband lives in a close relationship with the Lord. “Very rarely have I ever heard (Todd) talk negatively about someone else… Very rarely does he talk too much in group settings… His life is evidence of a tight connection between processing life in conversation with God and using wisdom and restraint in conversations with everyone else.” I had been waiting in car line and lowered my book. I stared out the window for a bit as I considered how opposite my usual approach is. I typically start with friends and end in prayer! 

But I also know that approaching God can seem elusive at times. We run out of words to pray or feel crushed under the weight of our circumstances. Maybe we remember his holiness, but we forget how tenderly he cares for us. 

These are times we can approach God with a different silence. Romans 8 reminds us that we are being prayed for. That the very Spirit of God himself, “intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” And Jesus, “who is at the right hand of God… indeed is interceding for us” [7].  

Words and silence, our voice and God’s, our approach to the Lord should look different at different times. But through receiving the saving work of Christ, we are adopted into his very family. Jesus teaches us to pray addressing this Holy God as “Father” [8]. We can approach his throne with confidence and receive mercy and grace [9], because we have been made clean.

In the popular hymn, My Hope is Built On Nothing Less, Edward Mote confesses it beautifully:

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Like Isaiah and John, a day will come when we will not only glimpse the throne of God, but we will never leave it. Maybe we’ll dance, maybe we’ll fall facedown. Maybe we’ll sing, maybe we’ll be silent. We could never imagine the reality of what is to come. But we can be confident that the gap that existed has been bridged, and the prayers and silent worship were received. 

[1] Ecclesiastes 5:2
[2] Isaiah 6:3
[3] Revelation 4:8
[4] Isaiah 6:5, Revelation 1:17
[5] 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
[6] Philippians 4:6
[7] Romans 8:26, 34
[8] Matthew 6:7-9
[9] Hebrews 4:16