I am learning a new language. It is an exciting, challenging, frustrating, neverending process that leaves me ecstatic one moment when I understand a new phrase and feeling totally stupid the next when someone addresses me and I realize that I have no idea what came out of their mouth. What were those people of Babel thinking? Ever since that catastrophic building project we have had to live with miscommunication, misunderstanding, ignorance, lack of interaction, unresponsiveness, and alienation.
Children often ask, "What language does God speak?" I have heard it said that he speaks to each of us in our own language. How comforting, how convenient, how little effort required on my part. I don't need the universal translator of Star Trek fame to understand and communicate with God. The universal mediator, Jesus, is hard at work making me acceptable to God. The universal Spirit is hard at work making our prayers heard. The universal creator is hard at working communicating his love. And I just continue on in my ignorant state? I think not. If I truly am desirous of being known as a resident of the kingdom of God, and not just on a student visa, or a visitor's permit, or even with resident alien status, then perhaps it behoves me to learn the language and customs of the culture of God. Why? The look on my friends' faces when I utter a simple phrase in their native tongue is worth all the hours spent conjugating verbs, and I believe my childish utterances are removing the cursed tower of division known as Babel, one brick, one verb, one sentence at a time.
What language does God speak? I believe it is a divine, direct, diverse, pure, and unlimited expression of his very essence. Naturally it is way beyond my ability to understand, but supernaturally...well that is another matter. And how does one go about learning a new language? You submerse yourself in the sound, you surround yourself with the culture that defines the language, and you get a very good teacher.
Lesson #1. the verb "to be." Let us start by looking at "I AM."
Children often ask, "What language does God speak?" I have heard it said that he speaks to each of us in our own language. How comforting, how convenient, how little effort required on my part. I don't need the universal translator of Star Trek fame to understand and communicate with God. The universal mediator, Jesus, is hard at work making me acceptable to God. The universal Spirit is hard at work making our prayers heard. The universal creator is hard at working communicating his love. And I just continue on in my ignorant state? I think not. If I truly am desirous of being known as a resident of the kingdom of God, and not just on a student visa, or a visitor's permit, or even with resident alien status, then perhaps it behoves me to learn the language and customs of the culture of God. Why? The look on my friends' faces when I utter a simple phrase in their native tongue is worth all the hours spent conjugating verbs, and I believe my childish utterances are removing the cursed tower of division known as Babel, one brick, one verb, one sentence at a time.
What language does God speak? I believe it is a divine, direct, diverse, pure, and unlimited expression of his very essence. Naturally it is way beyond my ability to understand, but supernaturally...well that is another matter. And how does one go about learning a new language? You submerse yourself in the sound, you surround yourself with the culture that defines the language, and you get a very good teacher.
Lesson #1. the verb "to be." Let us start by looking at "I AM."
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