Jeremiah 15:16 When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.
The dictionary meaning of ‘crosswords’ puzzle is a grid of squares and blanks into which words crossing vertically and horizontally are written according to the clue. The goal is to fill in the white squares with words. There will be letters that are shared by both the horizontal as well as the vertical words. If we fill the horizontal word incorrectly, the vertical word will also be incorrect and the puzzle can never be completed.
Using this analogy to understand the ‘power of words’, the words we speak to one another and the words we speak to God must be aligned. If not, we will never be able to see God’s promise fulfilled in our lives. The common letter is the crossing point. If we don’t get it right, the puzzle will be incomplete. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21). We will eat the fruit of what we speak. Our words are like seeds that spring up as fruits. So, speak words now that you want to reap later.
Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to a very arrogant and disobedient crowd. He was rejected, ostracized, and persecuted for speaking the truth. He would have become acidic and astringent if he had not devoured God’s Word to delight His heart.
Anger can trigger the wrong statements or slogans in us. “This will never change” or “I will never get it” are dead end statements pronouncing doom on ourselves. They are negative self-proclaimed prophecies. Have you ever wondered why negative statements return back sour fruits almost instantly, but positive words take much longer to yield results? Positive confessions are seeds that take time to grow but negative statements are weeds that spring up instantly. We don’t need faith to speak negatively. Negativity is an outburst of frustration whereas promise declarations and confessions springforth from a heart of faith. Repetition without faith will yield no harvest.
Horizontal and Vertical words in crosswords:
1. Horizontal: Horizontal words are what we speak to one another. They are casual conversations. Our casual conversation must align with God’s Words and His promises. We cannot use a different set of vocabulary when we speak to our spouse and a different dialect when we speak to God. The crosswords must match.
2. Vertical: Vertical words are prayers. Our vocabulary to God need not be superfluous, flamboyant or flashy words. It can be simple conversation but from the depth of our heart believing every word, syllable, prefix, and suffix.
3. Dimensional: The horizontal and vertical words should match to structure our lives with the dynamics and the dimensions of God’s plan. The geography and the geometry of our life will depend on the Co-ordination of our horizontal and vertical words.
Are there blanks in your crossword? If yes, assess the vertical and horizontal words that you speak.
Psalms 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, I surrender my tongue to only confess what you want me to speak. May the words of my mouth always align with your Word. Amen
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