Billy Graham described prayer like this: “At its deepest level, prayer is fellowship with God: enjoying His company, waiting upon His will, thanking Him for His mercies…listening in the silence for what He has to say to us.” Any biblical study on communication must include the discipline of prayer, and Matthew 6 is a central passage to consider. The Lord’s Prayer (vv. 9–13) comes in the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7). In Matthew 6:1–4, Jesus reframes His followers’ righteous practices as communication with God—not performance for others. He warns them not to announce their good works with a trumpet, but to serve in secret—for God alone.

Jesus then applies this to prayer. We are to pray in private (v. 6)—assured that God will hear and answer. The communication God longs for is authentic and does not need amplification. In verses 7–8, Jesus warns against “babbling like pagans”—the common practice of repeating nonsensical sounds. God is not impressed by a meaningless torrent of language. Instead, Jesus connects prayer to relationship. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (v. 8b). God is continually attentive and aware. Our prayers are not about providing Him with needed information. Rather, they align our hearts with His.

This carries into the Lord’s Prayer. This template begins by elevating God’s name, His kingdom, and His will (vv. 9–10). God’s purpose takes precedence over our own. Only after He is honored do we ask. Notice that these requests are expressed communally—“our daily bread,” “our debts,” “lead us not,” and “deliver us” (vv. 11–13). Our communication with the Father is intertwined with our communion with one another.

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Has God ever called you to do something that didn’t make immediate sense? If so, you’re in good company. Consider the stories of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Mary—to name a few. Sometimes God calls individuals to serve in a specific capacity, at a specific time, and for a specific purpose. Luke 5 provides us with one such example.

Jesus was teaching a crowd near the lake of Gennesaret. The crowd was pressing tightly against Him, so to address the issue, Jesus got into a boat belonging to Simon Peter and asked the fisherman to push out from shore. From the boat, Jesus continued to teach the multitudes (v. 3).

When He finished, Jesus turned to Simon and said: “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” (v. 4). This command contradicted Simon’s experience and professional knowledge. He and his men were exhausted; they had fished unsuccessfully all night long. Simon also knew that fishing during the day was not effective, so he honestly expressed his concerns (v. 5). Yet, Jesus’ instruction was less about fishing and more about trusting. Jesus was testing Simon’s belief in His authority, and Simon pushed through his doubt. He told Jesus, “Because you say so, I will let down the nets.” He obeyed—not because the command made sense, but because the speaker deserved honor.

The resulting catch overwhelmed the nets and the men. The miracle confirmed the word already spoken. Simon responded by falling at Jesus’ feet, calling Him “Lord,” and confessing his sinfulness. Encountering Jesus’ identity always brings clarity about who He is and who we are. In response to Simon’s humble declaration, Jesus called him to an even greater vocation. “From now on you will fish for people” (v. 10).

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Classic literature is full of beautiful declarations of love. Romeo from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet declares, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea.” In Jane Austin’s Persuasion, Captain Wentworth writes to Anne Elliot, “You pierce my soul...I have loved none but you.” In Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, Pip says to Estella: “You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read.”

But these words pale in comparison to the ultimate, loving communication found in John chapter 1. John begins the same way Genesis 1 opens: “In the beginning.” We see the connection between the coming of the Christ and creation. Both document the clear and effective way God has revealed Himself to us. While His spoken word created life in Genesis, Jesus—the embodied Word—is the source of new and eternal life (John 3:3, 16; 6:27).

The Word was with God and (at the same time) was God (vv. 1, 2). In these verses, John demonstrates that Jesus is both relationally connected to and substantively separate from His Father. The term for “Word” (logos) is layered with meaning. It combines the Greek philosophical principles of reason and order with the Jewish idea of God’s wisdom being revealed. Jesus embodies all of this—as shown in the creation process (v. 3). The Word formed the world, giving it structure and meaning. In verse 4, John shifts from creation to revelation. Light is a metaphor for truth, enabling people to see and comprehend. The Word illuminated a dark and sinful world. In the climax of God’s communication, the “Word became flesh” (v. 14). Taking on human form, Jesus communed with man. The verb “dwell” also echoes the Old Testament tabernacle, where God was present among His people.

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When you have good news to share, how do you communicate it? Do you phone a friend, send a group text to family, or post on social media? When Jesus’ disciple Mark had the best news to share, he wrote the Gospel of Mark. Although he originally wrote to the church during his lifetime, his account has been received by every subsequent generation of the faithful.

Mark begins with this direct proclamation: “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (v. 1). His purpose is evident. Everything that follows is “good news”—a message to be proclaimed, received, and applied.

Notice that Mark immediately anchors his good news in the Old Testament (vv. 2–3), demonstrating that God’s communication with His people through the centuries is continuous, coherent, and cohesive. The prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi foretold another messenger—a whole “strategic communication plan.” God would send John the Baptist to get people’s attention and ready their hearts. The setting for John’s communication was the wilderness— an undistracted place where God had already met His people many times (Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).

John’s message was concise and confrontational. He preached repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins (v. 4). People came from all over Judea to hear and confess (v. 5). John was not just sharing information; this message was transformational. When people responded, they would never be the same. John had dedicated his whole life to communicating this good news. Even his clothing and food choices spoke to his focus and humility. He did not draw attention to himself but pointed his audience toward the One yet to come and the salvation He would bring.

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When our kids were young, we taught them about good conversations. “When I ask a question, you answer— with more than one word. Then, you ask me a question, and I’ll respond. It’s a two-way street.”

Few biblical passages describe the two-way communication that God desires to have with His people more passionately than Jeremiah 29. This chapter is a letter from the prophet Jeremiah to the elders of the Jewish exiles in Babylon. False prophets had infiltrated the community and were communicating empty promises of quick rescue. Jeremiah wrote to provide clear instruction and an invitation to communion.

Jeremiah quotes the Lord, who begins with an honest description of Judah’s seventy-year exile. He does not sugarcoat their suffering but quickly adds assurance of His personal connection and promised deliverance. “I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place” (v. 10). God declared His sovereign care for His people: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future’” (v. 11).

Then God describes how their communication should unfold. Judah would cry out to the Lord. They would pray for deliverance. God would listen and respond (vv. 12–14). In verses 15–19, God reveals that He knew their hearts. They had been captivated by the false prophets in Babylon, who promised a swift end to their captivity. But Jeremiah contradicted these lies. God also had other plans for those who had not gone into exile. They, too, would suffer famine and plagues because they had not listened to the repeated words of the Lord. The passage finishes with this final, core admonition: “Hear the word of the LORD” (v. 20).

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We’ve all heard the children’s rhyme: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” The irony, of course, is that this much-recited ditty about brushing off wounding words is itself a lie. Words can hurt—and often do—even more than stones.

The power of words—both harmful and healing—is highlighted throughout the book of Proverbs. There are 915 proverbs in the entire biblical book, and approximately 150 address our speech. Proverbs 18 is another key chapter that focuses on this theme.

Verse 1 warns against social isolation and antagonistic communication. A fool selfishly holds himself aloof from community and spurns connection by starting arguments. The fool rushes to share opinions before taking the time to learn relevant information (v. 2). In verse 4, the “deep waters” are likely the deeper thoughts and feelings from which the bubbling “fountain of wisdom” will flow (v. 4). Our external communication reflects our interior world.

Verses 6–8 hammer home the devastating effects of the “lips of fools.” They initiate and intensify conflict. The fool’s words not only destroy other people; they also bring devastation upon oneself. Gossip is a particularly damaging use of language, which tastes deceptively sweet in the mouth. It spreads fast because we like how it tastes. But then, it penetrates our hearts and minds and soul, damaging our character.

The fool also jumps in prematurely, bringing shame upon himself (v. 13). In contrast, the wise man listens well and pursues knowledge (v. 15). Our words have consequences—both for the hearer and for us (vv. 20–21). They can hasten death or foster life.

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A proverb is a golden nugget of wisdom. While Proverbs are concise, “their brevity is dense with meaning and motivation,” said David Finkbeiner in The Moody Bible Commentary. Proverbs repeatedly uses the Hebrew poetical device of parallelism where the second line repeats, contrasts, or enhances the first. In Proverbs 15, we find a series of contrasts, describing the opposite effects of our differing communication decisions.

On the one hand, the tongue of the wise speaks with gentleness (kindness and responsiveness), which can neutralize hostility (v. 1). The wise tongue promotes truth and moral understanding (vv. 2 and 7). It brings healing and life (v. 4). A wise communicator listens well to constructive correction and makes appropriate life changes (v. 5). In contrast, the words of the fool are harsh. The fool uses speech that is unduly blunt, critical, or even cruel, causing mental distress for the receiver (v. 1). The mouth of the fool spews reckless and ill-informed ideas, revealing the state of the heart and inevitably leading to evil behavior (vv. 2 and 7).

Overall, Proverbs highlights that our words are never neutral; they carry the power to harm or to heal, to ignite conflict or foster peace, to destroy relationship or to deepen it. Chapter 15 also highlights the omnipresent nature of the Lord (v. 3). Our daily communication matters to Him, and He is attentive to all of it—the good and the evil. He sees the words we speak in public and whisper in private. He hears the life-giving messages we share with those we love and the harsh language we resort to when someone frustrates us. God’s presence should provide our primary motivation to speak with patience, wisdom, and love.

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Two of the most healing words we can say are: “I’m sorry.” The Psalms contain many forms of communication with God—praise, supplication, lament. But in Psalm 51, we find a raw and vulnerable confession.

David begins his plea with an appeal to God’s character—namely, His lovingkindness and ability to forgive (v. 1). David used two images to describe the desired redemption—the blotting of ink from a papyrus scroll and the ritual purification before temple worship (vv. 1–2). Only the Lord had the power to make him clean.

In verse 4, David acknowledged the Lord as the ultimate judge. He prayed: “Against you, you only, have I sinned.” Of course, David had sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah by committing adultery and murder. But his primary offense was against the holy God. Following his confession, David asked the Lord to cleanse him with hyssop (v. 7). Hyssop was a fragrant herb used for purification rituals. In preparation for Passover, the Jewish people would dip hyssop in blood and mark the doorposts of their houses (Exod. 12:22). Hyssop was also used in ceremonial cleansing rites for leprosy. In Psalm 51, David longed to be “whiter than snow” (v. 7); cleansing would bring renewed joy (v. 8).

David also asked that God renew a “steadfast spirit” within him (v. 10). He asked for the intimacy and joy he had previously experienced to be restored. David also promised to use this experience to teach others (v. 13). He promised to sing the Lord’s righteousness and declare His praise (vv. 14–15). Finally, he returned to his humble posture of contrition (v. 17). God welcomes true confession from a contrite heart. He meets that confession with mercy and repentance and renewed communion. When our relationship with God is repaired, we are freed to speak truth to others.

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As I am writing, it is December in Illinois. All week long, the sunsets have been a particularly vibrant pink and orange, and people in our neighborhood chat have been posting photos of the flaming sky. While they might not give glory to God, I think of today’s psalm every time.

Psalm 19 describes the communicative nature of our God. Verses 1–6 celebrate His revelation through creation while verses 7–11 proclaim His revelation through His Word. As a whole, the psalm testifies to a God who makes Himself known in a myriad of ways.

The first half of the psalm focuses on the heavens as a primary mouthpiece. All of humanity merely has to look up to observe the “glory of God” and to appreciate “the work of his hands” (v. 1). This revelation is continuous and uninterrupted (v. 2), and it transcends the limitations of language. Without speech or sound, the intricate innerworkings of the world give nonverbal testimony throughout all the earth (vv. 3–4).

Then, verses 4–6 focus on the sun. Many ancient cultures worshiped the sun itself. But here the psalmist describes the Hebrew God as providing a home for the sun, which is depicted as a “bridegroom” or a “champion.” With joy, vitality, and strength, the sun crosses the sky, making known its Creator.

The second half of the psalm focuses on God’s revelation through His law—and the desired human response to it. His law is “perfect,” “refreshing,” and “trustworthy” (v. 7). It is a source of wisdom, righteousness, and joy (vv. 7–8). It enlightens our minds (v. 8) and demands our reverence and respect (v. 9). God’s law is to be cherished and savored (v. 10), heeded and obeyed (vv. 11–13).

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In my speech course, students employ a variety of methods to begin their speeches. They’ve used stories, statistics, pictures, videos, even music. One student slammed his fist on the podium, causing us to jump. In another memorable speech, the speaker took the stage and just stood in silence. This was even more effective at arresting our attention.

In 1 Kings, God communicated with His prophet Elijah in a similarly subdued way. Elijah had just experienced dramatic victory on Mount Carmel (18:20–46). The prophets of Baal had cried out to their god, begging for a flaming response and received none (18:26). Then Elijah prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—who answered with fire (18:38). The people fell on their faces in praise: “The LORD—he is God!” (18:39). When Elijah returned to Jezreel (18:46), he may have expected a spiritual revival. However, when Queen Jezebel heard about the Mount Carmel showdown, she immediately sent a messenger with a death threat (19:2). Elijah fled for his life. Alone in the wilderness, he collapsed under a tree and prayed, “I have had enough, LORD…Take my life” (v. 4b). The Lord sent an angelic companion with bread, water, and rest (vv. 5–6). God had heard Elijah’s cries, but He communicated—first of all— through His care.

The angel stayed with Elijah for forty days, until the Lord asked: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v. 9b). He didn’t silence Elijah’s sorrow. Instead, He drew it out with questions, allowing him to answer (v. 10). God came to Elijah in an unexpected form. He was not in the wind, earthquake, or fire. Instead, He spoke in the “gentle whisper” (v. 12). His most compelling communication is not always dramatic. To hear Him sometimes requires attentiveness and calm.

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