Day 167 Bible readings are for June 17.
1 Kings 1, 1 Kings 2: 1-12, Acts 10: 24-48, Acts 11: 1-18, Psalm
89: 46-52
Acts 10: 44-46 (ESV)
“While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit
fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised
who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was
poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues
and extolling God.”
Verses 44 through 46 from Acts 10 shows Peter baptizing
Cornelius and his friends with the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the spirit coming
to them where they end up speaking in tongues. I always thought that speaking in
tongues was a gift of the spirit, and that not everyone would be able to do it.
But two kindly women who sat next to me at church on Sunday corrected me and
told me that “speaking in tongues” was not a gift but something that all
believers can do if they truly believed they were baptized with the Holy
Spirit.
I had never heard “speaking in tongues” explained to me in
that way and their words resonated with me. When I told the two women what I
thought, they spontaneously started praying and laying their hands of me for me
to “speak in tongues.” I have been
praying to God to speak in tongues for months, but nothing ever came out so I
didn’t think I had this “spiritual gift.” I couldn’t do it while they were praying,
but I promised them I would try when the Holy Spirit moved me. I later tried
and words came out of my mouth that were strange and I had no idea what I was
saying, But Holy Spirit assured me I was indeed speaking in tongues. Then Monday
I received the message from Holy Spirit that as long as I prayed with intention,
then it didn’t matter if I didn’t understand “the speaking in tongues” part of
my prayer. God understands what the strange words mean. The two women did
mention to me that interpreting what words mean when you “speak in tongues” is a
spiritual gift, which I may or may not have. So Holy Spirit confirmed what the
two women told me. I may never understand what I am saying when I speak in
tongues, but God will always understand me.
Speaking in tongues feels so strange, but I know I feel this
way because I am so used to understanding what I am saying. I need to have
faith that whatever is coming out of my mouth, God understands exactly what I
am saying.
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