And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. —Acts 2:2-4

Click Here to Read Today’s Scripture: Acts 2:1-41

Click Here to Read or Listen in Kriol 

Recently I did something I'd never done before: I prayed in Kriol, my mother tongue. And it was wonderful! Like a faucet flowing fast and free. I did not feel tongue-tied at all, as I often do when praying in English. Don’t get me wrong; I love the English Language. It’s Belize's official language and, like most Belizeans, I use it daily. However, it’s a second or third language for most of us, our mother tongues being Kriol, Spanish, Garifuna, Maya, Manderin, German, etc. As I ended my prayer that morning, I realized that all these years I had been denying God the sweet, sweet sound of Belize Kriol. “Lord,” I said, “Yoo noa ahn yooz aal langwij” (You know and use all languages). "Inkloodin Kriol" (Including Kriol).

This made me think of the Pentecost when “suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from Heaven and filled the whole house where [the worshippers] were sitting…All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:2-4). Witnessing this, the Jews who were staying in Jerusalem, “from every nation under heaven” were astonished because each one was hearing the worshippers speak in his own language (5-6). No wonder more than 3,000 of them accepted Jesus and were baptized that day (41).

Linguists and Bible translators often refer to our mother tongue as the language of the heart. Oh, how good to know we serve a God who is not only all-present and all-powerful, but who takes pleasure in communicating with us in our heart language.

Reflection: Which story or song from your culture do you think Jesus would enjoy hearing in your native tongue?

Prayer Starter:

Lord, you are the creator of all good things. Thank you for all that's beautiful, wholesome, and edifying in my culture.

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