There is something powerful about the spoken Word. This comes into sharp relief when one considers that the books of the Bible were largely spoken before they were written; given voice before indelibly enshrined for posterity. Hence, the Bible is an oral phenomenon. It might best be treated as acoustical words that have dynamic breath more than literary words that have static residence. It has life. It releases life. It gives life. It grows life.

The world of the Hebrews comes to life when one factors into it the phenomenon of the spoken word. Words once spoken were considered as constituting a life of their own. They took on wings as they were dispatched to their hearers. Once spoken, they could not be taken back. In this sense they were unidirectional. A couple of examples may help to clarify this.

You might remember the occasion of the blind Isaac, who was about to bless his firstborn Esau to receive the birthright (Gen. 27). Jacob, Esau?s brother, got wind of this and in cahoots with his mother impersonated Esau, fooling Isaac to bless him as heir apparent. By the time Esau came in the evening for the blessing, it was too late. Isaac said that the blessing had already been given, inferring that it could not be retracted or cancelled. The word had already been spoken.

Another occasion is that of the prophet Balaam (Num. 22, 23). He was hired by a neighboring, foreign government to curse Israel. He found a vantage point that oversaw the camp of Israel and opened his mouth, but could only utter blessings. God would not allow him to pronounce a curse over his people. Such is the force of the power of the spoken word. Blessings give life; curses give death.

Paul, acknowledging the power of the spoken word, admonishes us to engage in the spiritual exercise of speaking psalms and singing hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19). We are filled by means of the Spirit (5:18) through spiritual exercises. Spiritual exercises (like reading aloud portions of Scripture, memorizing biblical verses, meditating over the spoken Word) places us in the position where we can be more receptive to God?s presence. They are a means to holistic maturity.

It is no accident then that Paul refers to the Psalms in Ephesians 5, for they are a repository of life-enabling power. Paul knew that when we feed our spirit with, say, the Psalms, we, in turn, bring our personality and total being into full subjection to God?s will and purpose for our lives. He harnesses the little that we have inherently to produce a formidable witness where we live beyond ourselves. Therefore, to engage with the Word every day is to grow every day.

Psychologists say that 95 percent of what we hear in any given day is negative talk. This happens through media, newspapers, conversations, disagreements, and so forth. The result is that we become participants of negative talk, and oppressed by it. The only way to counter it is not to block our ears, or to isolate ourselves indefinitely, but to speak life (Ps. 119:15; Prov. 18:21).

I have just returned from visiting an old but very dear friend of mine. She has Alzheimer?s at an acutely advanced stage. Needless to say, she didn?t recognize me, much less acknowledge me. She looked confused and depressed, mumbling incoherent words to herself. During the two hours I was with her, I fed her, held her and told her stories.

It was only near the end when I recited and sang the Scriptures to her that she came distinctly alive. She made eye contact, and hers glistened with joy and warmth when I recited, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?…Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait I say on the Lord" (Ps. 27). She held my hands firmly when I recited further Revelation 21:1–4, which talked about the new heavens and new earth, and I sensed at that tearful moment a felt and shared hope.

Indeed, there is dynamic, life-giving power in feeding yourself with the Holy Word!!

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