Can you imagine what it was like at Pentecost when the believers were gathered and the Holy Spirit fell on all of them? Suddenly they started to talk in so many different languages that people in Jerusalem at that time, from all over the world, heard them in their own language. These believers were praising God in front of God-fearing Jews from every nation. Their worship quickly turned into a great gathering asking ‘how can these Galileans speak our language’?
In Genesis 11, the story of the Tower of Babel, God confused the people’s language so that they would not understand each other, but at Pentecost, it was the opposite. The Holy Spirit came and made clear the wonders of God in the listeners’ own native languages gathering them together.
The words the believers spoke were God’s words—the Holy Spirit gave them the words to say. God knows every language in the whole world and He knows the language of every person, even yours. He knows your heart language, the language that really touches you intimately and He can use it to speak to you. Oh that we would listen!
The populace in the world today is scattered and diverse. It’s difficult to communicate with people from other countries and cultures. Not only are the words so different, the sounds are different and there are unwritten codes for each culture. As God’s children we are called to unity and the love of Christ binds us together. How amazing it is to find believers from other parts of the world and we all share the same Holy Spirit. We are brothers and sisters because of what Jesus did for us by dying on the Cross for our sins.
I was born, raised, and educated in Sweden so I have much in common with fellow Swedes who have the same background. We ate the same foods, went to very similar schools and have the same traditions and songs. It’s a wonderful connection. I have found, though, that when meeting people of faith in the Lord Jesus from around the world, that connection is even stronger. They are brothers and sisters in the truest sense. The pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost made it possible for us to be one. Praise God!
For Reflection:
- When have you experienced the incredible reality of being part of God’s vast and diverse family? Have you experienced hospitality, encouragement or assistance from other believers that you did not know or are very different from? How did this make you feel?
by Elisabeth Bier
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