Daily Devotions and Podcasts

SCRIPTURE  Acts 2:1-11 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” WORDS OF HOPE This is an interesting passage, which when I reread it, I noticed something I had never realized or heard preached on. Our Pentecostal siblings frequently use this passage to show that the gifts of the Holy Spirit include speaking in tongues. And I am not certainly one to dismiss or to discourage the infilling of the spirit. But two thousand years after the events recorded here there always questions about whether what we are reading has somehow or another been changed through translation and usage. The thing that I noticed that I had never noticed before is that those who are reportedly speaking in tongues, are Jews. The gathered crowd asks “are not those who are speaking Galleans?”. Indeed, a careful reading of the Passage seems to say that perhaps it was not so much that they were speaking in tongues, but that the people gathered around heard them speaking in their own language. This possibility changes the story. If those speaking has suddenly begun speaking in tongues other than their own it implies that the power of the spirit is the ability to speak God’s word. On the other hand, if those listening are hearing the word in their own language, it implies the power to understand God‘s word. What gift the Spirit is bringing depends on which side of the equation you stand. Are you a speaker or a listener? The interpretation that the gift of the spirit is the gift of understanding through listening is much more hopeful to me personally. It says that no matter what language God‘s word is spoken in, it will be understandable to the listener. That will speak to me in a way that I can understand. And by extension, I feel it means that it will speak to me when I needed it most as it did in that moment when the apostles were speaking to the crowd. In the next section of the book of Acts, Peter begins his fiery speech to the crowd. And the fact that he is one speaking to many, and they all understand him seems to indicate that they have received the gift of understanding as much as he has been given the power to speak. So, I would say for your devotion time, contemplate the understanding that you have been given of God‘s word. God is still speaking through ministers and pastors, and through your own heart. PRAYER God who comes to us through the Holy Spirit, give us an understanding of your word and teachings, such that no language barrier can separate us from you or from each other. Help us to be mindful that those who speak a language other than that which we might speak are no less capable of understanding the Word. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare .