When we were in California last month we spent time at a church that has Indonesian, Chinese and English services. We attended both the English and Indonesian services.I felt like a U.N. delegate because I got this cool headphone set and machine thing-y with live translation. The problem was, I couldn't make the volume work so I couldn't hear the translation. I ended up just following the people around me. I stood when they stood; I sat when they sat. I sang songs (or rather, tried to sing songs) that I couldn't understand. I had no idea what the words meant. But you know what? I didn't need to.
The love was so evident on each person's face that I couldn't help but want to join in the singing. I know most of these people could tell stories of what it's like to be a Christian in a Muslim country. They could share stories of heartache, stories of immigration, and stories of trying to follow Jesus despite it all. But the love... the love told a story all it's own with no words required.
Here was the only thing I managed to write down from my time there:
FirmanMu p'lita bagi kakiku Terang bagi jalanku
Which means, "Your Word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk." - Psalm 119:105 (CEV)
2 comments:
it's interesting....i trust when you say you could SEE the love. i don't know if i'd believe that when most other people say that. it makes me wish i could have been there with you to share in your languageless joy.
reasons: people seem to be able to act loving sometimes even when they're not and....often i think we can be fooled because we are so love starved...we simply WANT to see it.
i visualized what you were describing and wanted some of that too. ~steveT
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