HE is Faithful

I just have to give God praise!
Last night I spoke for chapel at the women's shelter of the Lansing City Rescue Mission. Speaking for chapel is something I have been doing monthly for the past 2 or 3 years. (Another senior moment - I honestly cannot recall what year I began...) But I think this time I labored over the message more than I ever have before.
Which isn't a bad thing.
Actually, it has proven to be very good.
For the past several weeks I have been thinking about it, praying about it, and making notes about it. I've asked others to pray for me. I have been "on alert" for input, and have frequently felt God's Spirit nudging me in different directions.
Finally, Monday afternoon I had the opportunity to sit down and formalize what I intended to say.
Then Tuesday at the beginning of my Precepts class we were reviewing the previous week's chapters and somebody pointed out what God did to Ezekiel in chapter 3.

"Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who rebukes them for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'"

Ezekiel 3:26-27

She marveled at how God would shut Ezekiel's mouth and only allow him to speak when HE said so.
And that immediately became my prayer.
LORD, please shut my mouth except for what YOU want me to say!
I asked my Precepts sisters to pray thus for me, and I repeated that prayer for myself until the moment I walked into chapel last night.
And may I just say? HE is faithful!!!
The feedback I was getting from the women as I spoke told me that they were engaging with the message, and I could sense HIS presence among us. I had a couple of conversations with women after chapel at which time I found out God had spoken specifically to hearts and needs.
And I was so encouraged!
But it was when I was driving home - in the quiet of my van, with time to reflect - that I really became aware of God's hand (or mouth-glue, as the case may be). In my preparation Monday I thought it necessary to give instances of how we might be "like" the Israelites - though we don't build altars or worship statues of silver and gold. However, as I was driving I realized I had completely skipped over those examples, and it was as if God's Spirit said, That's because it's My job to convict hearts. I didn't need you to make suggestions.
Then it occurred to me I had left out some other statements from my notes, and I remembered a section I had completely cut out prior to putting the "finished" stamp on my talk. HE shut my mouth.
Honestly, I cannot even recall the exact words I used in several parts of the talk I gave.
But I know that I asked God to allow me to only speak the words HE wanted me to speak - and I believe that is exactly what HE did.

All glory to GOD!!!