Devotion for Southern Christian Writers Guild

And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” Revelation 10:4, NIV

The book of Revelation opens with insight into the divine chain of command. God gave Jesus a revelation of earth’s future and Jesus sent an angle to present the revelation to the Apostle John, “who faithfully reported everything he saw.”[1] But he did not write everything he heard.

John witnessed God deny death to a tormented humanity, followed by the annihilation of a third of humanity. Yet they refused to repent for worshipping false gods. Then an angel descended clothed with a cloud, with a rainbow on his head, and his face shining like the sun with a little scroll in his hand. His voice was like the roar of a lion and seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. John was about to write with a voice told him “do not write”[2] what they said.

We should not preserve in writing everything we hear, think, and speak. As writers, we need to handle our words with care. Our words can heal, but they can also wound. Words can comfort, but they can also discourage. We must pray for discernment to choose our words carefully and wisely.

Heavenly Father,

Please give us an ear to hear your instructions to write and when not to write. Amen.

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[1] Revelation 1:2, NLT

[2] Revelation 10:4