Words

My 36-year-old son says he and his 5-year-old daughter are on the same page.  They are both  learning tthe alphabet and learning to read: she in kindergarten and he in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.  He says he'll be glad when it becomes reading for enjoyment, rather than plodding along sounding out words.  I'm sure Anne-Marie will, too.  But if she is progressing like her father, she's doing fine (under his tutelage, by the way). 

Recently, thanks to internet, I saw Jamie preach a Greek Exegitical Sermon to his English-speaking Chinese  congregation in Houston.  It was very enlightening as he incorporated what he had learned (after only 3 weeks of study!) into his sermon!  For instance, in the original Greek, the word Jesus used when referring to being born "again" (John 3:3)  can also be translated as  "from above." If Nicodemus had "heard" what Jesus meant, the rest of the passage would be more clear, as Jesus further taught about the neccessity for  transformation of the Spirit in understanding the things of God.  (The gist of the semon was something like that, anyway..something may have been lost in  (my) translation.)

This reminds me of little Maddie, their three-year-old, who is on her own track in figuring out language.  Jamie related that one day Anne-Marie pointed and said, "Look there is an airplane at 12:00 o'clock!" to which her father said, "No, that's 1:00 o'clock."  Maddie corrected them both when she said emphatically, "That's not a clock!  That's a plane!"

After 54 years of marriage, my husband and I frequently have trouble understanding what the other is saying.  It's not a listening problem, it's a hearing problem.  I have a tendency to speak more softly, which causes misunderstandings for him.  His voice is strong and resonant, but intially it's in a lower range, and if I miss the first word, I might miss his whole point.  Very frustrating sometimes, but also very hilarious at other times!  Kind of like the man who said it might rain, and his wife said, "What train?"

Thankfully, one might be hard-of-hearing, but still able to hear the voice of God.  He speaks through His Word, which even the deaf can read.  He speaks in the still, small voice to our hearts, or maybe even an audible voice in urgent situations.  No matter the language, God speaks it. 

Psalm 19:1-3 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. (2)  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. (3) There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard."  Some things are crystal clear!