Praying in Tongues

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26

Throughout the week of the distribution, we had many opportunities for prayer. Our group consisted of four Americans, a Romanian interpreter, and the Dutch financial officer for JAF Europe. At the close of our daily bible study, after our nightly debriefings and at the church services we attended, we prayed - each in our own language. What a beautiful sound from the body of believers as we offered up our concerns to the King in Romanian, Dutch and English.

As I listened to the prayers of the saints not understanding anything, the omniscience of our Father struck me. Here, brought together by His hand were six children speaking to Him their needs, concerns and cares. He was listening and understanding each word spoken, with language no barrier to Him.

The old joke “what do you call a person who speaks only one language? An American” was embarrassingly true in our small group. In Israel, when I encountered the Russian Jews at the baptismal, they spoke enough English to share the gospel, the same was true of the Hebrew they were diligently studying. The first conversation they were learning with enthusiasm was the language of being an ambassador for the King. And while we in America marvel at our multi-lingual counterparts we come across – how often do we consider the facet of the Father that speaks and understands all language?

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, Revelation 7:9-10