Fill my Mouth

Exodus 4:10-12  Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

Psalm 81:10b I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.
9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant...”
17 “Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be  dismayed before their faces,  Lest I dismay you before them. 18 For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land—Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

Luke 21:12-15 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

Dear Lord,

I speak for a living.  I lecture.  I preach.  I chair meetings.  You have placed me in a world and charged me to speak with conviction and confidence.  You have called me to influence people to understand reality in a specific way, and then lead them in taking appropriate actions.

But today, I don't know what to say.  I don't know how I should respond.  I feel small and ignorant. Yet I am called to lead, and that demands I speak.

Somehow, I feel that You have me exactly where You want me.  You have put me in a spot where I am empty and You want to fill me.  You have put me in a situation where I am ignorant and You want to teach me. You have put me in a position where I feel helpless, and You want to help me. You have put me in a spot where I am weak and You want to be my strength.  

My mind is scrambled with words, lines of arguments, attacks, defenses, questions, speculation, scenarios... useless thoughts.  

Thank You for trusting me with an impossible task and promising me Your words, Your Presence, and Your help.  Be with my mouth and show me what to say.  Put Your words in my mouth. Impress me with words to speak, and press me until I know it is You demanding me to speak.  Grant me a voice of wisdom, rationality, and a connection with the heart of my listener that will reach beyond argument or contradiction. Grant me the anointing of Your Holy Spirit to know and speak truth.  So empower me that the words You speak into me and through me are irresistible and eternal in their impact.

For the Glory of Your Name,

Amen.