Let Us Quench the Flames

Scripture

James 3: 5-12

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.  (NRSV)

Devotion

Today's devotion is going to look a little different.  Rather than following our usual format, I'm giving you the opportunity to pray for God's help in taming our tongues.  The last few months have demonstrated just how true James's description of the human tongue can be.  It takes very few words to set the world around us on fire.  Seemingly small statements can spark widespread fear, increase divisions, fuel hatred and even incite violence.  At times, it seems as if we intent on using our mouths to help burn down the world.

This ought not be so.  After all, how can we possibly be known as those who proclaim the Kin-dom of Heaven, when the fires of Hell issue from our mouths?  The following visualization and prayer is designed to help each of us tame our tongues as both individuals and a society.  Trigger warning:  It focuses a lot imagining the destruction caused by wildfires.  Through God's grace, may it help serve as an antidote to the poisonous words filling our world.

Trigger warning: the following prayer uses a lot of destructive/fire imagery.

Prayer

Focus on needing God's mercy.  Listen to the Kyrie...

 Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy.  Lord, have mercy

Focus on confessing your personal sins.  What is a moment within the last week when your words have (or had the potential to have) caused pain, fear, division, or anger?  Imagine those words as sparks that create small fires.  The fires slowly begin to spread, singeing whatever they touch.  Once the image is clear in your mind, confess your sinfulness to God. 

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
 
Focus on confessing the world's sins.  What is one ongoing argument in our town, county, nation, or world that causes anger and division.  What deadly words have you witnessed people using to talk about this subject within the past week? Imagine the small fires created by your own words combining with these larger flames and expanding until it seems as if the whole world is burning.  

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
 
Focus on repentance.  As you imagine the flames of our angry words spreading to destroy everything they touch, acknowledge the pain and destruction that we have helped cause.  Who have we injured?  What relationships have we hurt?  Ask for God's forgiveness.

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
 
Focus on redemption.  How might the Holy Spirit begin to heal the pain and hurt our words have caused?  What would such healing require?  As you ponder these questions, imagine God's forgiveness falling like a steady rain and putting out the raging fires we caused. 

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.

Focus on new life in Christ.  As we move forward as forgiven and redeemed people, how does Christ call us to use our words for good?  How you tame your tongue to help spread a message of love, justice, and mercy?  Imagine yourself planting and watering seeds in a burned landscape.  What good will Christ use your words to help spring forth and flower?   

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.

Focus on giving thanks.  Listen to the Gloria...

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.