Jewels of Fulfillment

At the outgoing of his word, the ice is turned to water; when he sends out his wind, there is a flowing of waters. (Psalm 147:18 BBE)

Before a precious stone becomes a beautiful jewelry, it is usually seen in the eyes of the untrained as something worthless and possibly unsightly in appearance. What is rejected by many people, however, often turns out to be worth much more after it has been designed and crafted skillfully into an object of desire. This is how witnessing for Christ is like.

Many a time when we share the gospel to someone, we do not see the effects the message may have on that person immediately. Sometimes, we may become discouraged because of this, but we ought not to, because the Bible says we may plant the seed, another may water, but God is the One who causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

So it is with the word of God when preached; it will not return without accomplishing what God desires and succeeding in the matter He sends us to do (Isaiah 55:11). Just as ice is turned into water at the outgoing of God’s word and waters flow when God sends out His wind (Psalm 147:18), so shall the tide against the devil be turned. Our role as children of God therefore is to do our part and let God do His.

For when God speaks a word, He never fails to fulfill it (Numbers 23:19; 2 Peter 3:9), and here is a lesson we can learn. Do we, like Jesus our Lord, hold fast in fulfilling the words outgoing from our mouths or do we merely comfort people with empty words (James 2:15-16)? As His followers, do our words return to us void or do they accomplish what we have promised?

In the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-31), Jesus relates the story of a man who spoke to his first son and said, “Son, go work today in the vineyard,” and the son answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted and went. The man then went to the second son and said the same thing, and he answered, “I will, sir”; but he did not go. Jesus then asked, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” The answer is obvious.

This parable teaches us what it means to keep a promise. If we fail to fulfill what we say we will do, we break a promise, and the words outgoing from us are mere empty words, worthless to men. Unless we keep our promises, we cannot expect the people around us to trust us or desire the Christ we preach.

Let us learn to keep our words and fulfill our promises so others may count us trustworthy, just as our God is trustworthy and never fails to keep His promises. When we share God’s word to the yet unsaved, let us not be discouraged to think our efforts are unfruitful, instead remember it is not us but God who causes the growth. Like precious stones that turn into beautiful jewelry through honing, let us not underestimate the little things we do in fulfilling the will of God.

Dear Lord, we know that at the outgoing of Your word, things happen and never return to You empty without accomplishing Your will, and succeeding in the matter You have sent us to do. We seek therefore Lord for the ability to keep our promises in fulfilling the words outgoing from our mouths. Hone us Lord and turn us into precious jewels that we may in Your design and skillful crafting become the people You want us to be.