“Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our own native language?’” (Acts 2:7-8, NIV).

She found Christ at the age of 16, soon after Albania was delivered by God from a generation of atheistic dictatorship. For 18 years she prayed for her father to come to know Him without success. She moved with her husband to America and was struggling through a major crisis in her life. Her father, who loved her deeply, came to provide support. He agreed to attend church with her, though he knew very little English. The pastor preached a dramatic reenactment of Abraham sacrificing Isaac, with God providing the ram (Genesis 22:13). After the sermon, he invited any who wished to receive Christ as their Savior to come forward. A few came. The pastor then said, “There are still others.” A few more came forward to accept Christ. “There are still others,” the pastor called. Finally, after a time that seemed to last forever, she saw her father stand up and raise his arms in surrender, not knowing well the language of the preacher but having met the Christ the pastor preached.

How beautiful is the language of God.

Whatever the language of our heritage, God speaks to us in the language of our hearts.

That certainly applies here, where the preacher’s language and the father’s language were totally different. I can’t imagine how God traversed that barrier to convince this father he needed Christ. But it happened.

It’s really no different for us when a preacher, family member or friend shares with us a word from God we need to hear.  We may hear words in our native language, but only the Holy Spirit can translate those words into the language of our hearts. And vice versa, my words may be beautiful with doctrine, emotion and wisdom when I share them with another, but they do not change people. Only words translated by God changes people.

That doesn’t mean what we say is insignificant. God works through our minds, relationships and circumstances to provide words He molds into His purpose. We should be prayerful and intentional about sharing God’s message with others, using whatever words God puts on our tongues. We need not fear failure or applaud success with those words, for only God can mold them into power that transforms—and He promises to do so (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Dear Father,

Let me listen for the words you wish me to hear, and compel me to speak so you may translate with power.

Amen