A Word in Season

“The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary” (Isaiah 50:4).

I read that Albert Einstein was the featured speaker at a dinner given at Swarthmore College. When it came time for him to speak, he astonished everyone by standing up and announcing, “I have nothing to say.” Then he sat down.

A few moments later he stood up and added, “In case I have something to say, I will come back and say it.” Six months later he sent a message to the president of the college: “Now I have something to say.” Another dinner was held and he gave his speech.

Perhaps you have had opportunities “to speak a word in season” to those who are weary, but you didn’t feel as if you had anything to say. If so, follow the example of the Servant of the Lord, the promised Messiah, whom we read about in Isaiah 50:4-10. Because He listened and obeyed what He heard, He had a message to give to others.

Open God’s word with an eagerness to learn and do what He tells you to do. Think of the Lord as present and speaking to you, disclosing His mind and emotions and will. Meditate on His words until you know what He is saying. Then, as the Servant discovered, in time God will give you “the tongue of the learned.” If you listen to the Lord, you’ll have something worth saying. Open your ears to God before you open your mouth to others.

—David H. Roper, Our Daily Bread