by Linda Cox
But if I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His Word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
Jeremiah 20:9 (NIV)
The secular world seems enamored right now with “talk” radio and TV, blogging and tweeting, voicing thoughts and opinions. About any subject. But seldom about Jesus. We may hear God, Spirit in the Sky, the Man Upstairs, a Voice, but not Jesus. We hear about morality and spirituality, self-help and self-improvement. But seldom about Jesus. And if we do hear someone speak His name, it’s often used as a swear word or in ridicule and laughter.
While it’s different (thankfully) in the Christian “talk” world, we still find churches that call themselves Christian but leave Jesus out completely. Pastors who avoid ending public prayers with “in Jesus’ name.” Or talk about Him without ever mentioning He died for our sins, conquered death and the grave, and rose that we might live forever with Him.
I wonder how many church fights, even splits, result because people don’t talk about Jesus? How many relationships die, how many people don’t hear the true gospel—all because someone didn’t talk about Jesus? Shouldn’t those of us who know Him be talking about Him? With everything Jesus has done for us, shouldn’t we LOVE talking about Him?
Whenever my pastor quotes a seminary professor of his—if you’re not talking about Jesus, you’re off the subject—I think of a line in a Susie Luchsinger song, Nothin’ I Like Better. “There’s nothin’ I like better than talkin’ ‘bout my Jesus.”
Wow! How many of us love to talk about Jesus like that? If we don’t, maybe it’s time to change, to stop holding it in! To let the world see the saving power in His name—a fire burning so deeply in our hearts that there’s no subject we love talkin’ (or singin’ or writin’) about better than Jesus!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Linda Cox is a regular contributor to DivineDetour. She recently retired after twenty-five years as a district office secretary for the State of Illinois. Her first loves are studying the Bible and reading, but Linda occasionally tries her hand at writing. Her work is published in All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa (Thomas Nelson), The One-Year Life Verse Devotional (Tyndale), Life Lessons from Grandparents (Write Integrity) and the Love Is a Verb devotional (Bethany House). She and her husband live on a farm with their two indoor/outdoor farm mutts.