Words and deeds

Isaiah 55:11
So is My word that goeth out of My mouth, It turneth not back unto Me empty, But hath done that which I desired, And prosperously effected that [for] which I sent it.

Have you ever told yourself “I’m going to...” and then not done it, or “I’m never going to...again” and then done it? Have you ever told someone else something that you planned to do, and then not followed through? Come on now, be honest. The truth is, we’ve all done it: spoken thoughts, resolutions, and promises that we never accomplished. Just look at our annual “I’m gonna drop 20 pounds” festival every January 1! We are full of the best intentions, but simply put, our words don’t have the power to do what our hearts intend.

When it comes to accomplishing good things (i.e., weight loss goals, starting a soup kitchen, or curing cancer), just talking about it doesn’t get the job done. Our words, on their own, just can’t cut it. When we speak words, we have to act on them in order for our words to have any effect. If you want to cure cancer, simply saying “I’m going to cure cancer” won’t conjure up a cure. You’re going to have to study, work, and put forth a great effort in order to accomplish such an incredible task.

God, however, is not like us. When He speaks, galaxies are formed. They aren’t the result of His years of study followed by field training in the galaxy industry; God can create simply by opening His mouth and speaking. He’s awesome! But how is His work accomplished? Through His spoken Word.

When God said “Let there be light...” (Genesis 1:3) Jesus made it shine (John 1:1). You see, even the words of God require work to accomplish the job. He speaks, reaches out, and creates. When God speaks, however, He never fails. When we speak, even with good intentions, failure is always a hidden option. We don’t like to acknowledge it, but it’s true. I can say all day long that I’m going to cure cancer. I can go to medical school and study until my head swells. But I cannot definitively say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, “I am going to cure cancer.”

The good news is this: though our words and best intentions may return to us empty, the Word(s) of God will never return without prospering.

The greatest example of this is Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14). God sent His Word to us not to help us accomplish our goals, but to actually accomplish them for us. Jesus Christ did all that the Father desired. He lived a perfect life; He fulfilled the law. He restored the fallen nature of mankind and hung, cursed, on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:23). He died on the cross for the salvation of the world. He became sin so that we could be made righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ PROSPEROUSLY effected that for which He was sent: redemption.

Jesus didn’t return to the Father empty handed. He had holes in His hand to show the work was finished. Though my words and my efforts are filled with good intentions, I cannot cure cancer. But the Word of God is so much more than just good intentions. It is the starting point of salvation and the finishing goal. He is the one who accomplished all that He came to do. That doesn’t just mean eternal salvation; it means abundant life, now. He bore our infirmities on His back, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:3)!

Praise God for His Son, Jesus Christ, who has prosperously accomplished all that the Father desired. And thank the Lord that His desire is to see us restored, healthy, healed, and perfected through the blood of Jesus!