Instructed Tongues, Daily

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
"The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught." Isaiah 50:4

“The Chinese language is one of the most beautiful in the world in which to enshrine the sacred Scriptures, and there is a flexibility and grace about it, that render it capable of expressing all the tenderness, and pathos, and poetry, and sublime thought of that most wondrous book.” John MacGowan, "The Amoy Mission," (1895, p. 17)

Instructing Common Tongues Christ chose the most common people to be his disciples. Several were common fishermen, Matthew was a despised tax collector. Yet after Christ's resurrection, they preached so eloquently and persuasively that the Jewish leaders marveled. Acts 4:13: "Now when the Jewish leaders saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus."

Today, our Father will also awaken our ears and our tongues, to know the right words to say, the right actions to take--not just once but daily, preferably "morning by morning."

1). It takes times. Joseph and David started out as the youngest sons, of no consequence, and both rose to become rulers--but it took time. They had to learn.
2) Morning by morning. If you don't seek direction in the morning, you won't hit the day--the day will hit you. Wise warrior put on armor before the battle, not during it.
3) Listen like one being taught. During morning quiet times, we need to not just talk but to listen, and more importantly, to learn, lest we have to repeat the same lessons over and over.
4) Sustain the weary. While we yet have life, we have purpose--and that purpose is to help others. It is no wonder so many people in seemingly good health die retire one day and expire the next. They've spent their entire lives working, but not truly living, and when work ceases, so does life. But in China I have met many people from other countries whose lives have been richer since retiring--because they have a purpose.

This day, ask for open ears and eyes to know this day's purpose--and an instructed tongue to pursue it.

F.B. Meyer, in "Our Daily Homily" (London, 1894), wrote of Isaiah 50:4:

THIS is a beautiful image. Morning by morning, the Lord God draws near his chosen sevantand awaknes him, calling him by name, giving him some sweet message; and preparing him for the day's errands, duties and sufferings.

THE TONGUE OF THE LEARNER. The sense of the original is somewhat obscured by the use of the word, "learned." It should be "disciple": one that learns through being taught. We must be disciples before we can be apostles, and be taught before we teach. We shall never do our best work for God until we accustom ourselves to receive and take his messages; and there is no such time as the early morning for the lowly posture of sitting at the Master's feet to hear his word.

TO HIM THAT IS WEARY. Notice that God's messengers are sent to the weary. There are somany of these in the world that special provision must be made for their sustaining and comfort. God needs a great company of Barnabas's sons of consolation, who having been comforted shall know how to comfort others. No king of ministry needs such careful preparation as that exercised towards the weary and heavy-laden. To learn how to do this involves some months of lonely suffering.

WAKEN TO HEAR. In softest whispers God draws nigh, uncovering the ear, putting back the locks that might intercept his gentlest accent. Only let us see to it that we are not rebellious, or turn away back. Let not the lowliness of the work, the weary mind, the worry about tiny questions, put us off from this sacred enterprise. And let us not be dissuaded by those who would smite, and pluck out the hair. Neither pride nor fear may deter from this sacred work.
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