Because God Speaks French

"God, thank You that You speak French."

One of my classmates prayed that in our early days of the French program (nearly five years ago!).  I distinctly remember feeling annoyed at that prayer.

I, for one, did not like French, and I didn't like the idea that God spoke it, either.

Everyone says French is a beautiful language.  I disagreed vehemently.

It sounded awful and felt even worse when I tried to speak it, like peanut butter was stuck to the roof of my mouth.

The problem lay not with my language abilities but with my attitude.  I grumped and grumbled and complained to God.  If only it wasn't like this, I might not be so unhappy.

I did learn, though.  I understood more and more and even the sticky peanut butter words started to roll off my tongue more easily.

Something else started happening.  My host family was assigned to me and I got to know my language helper better and better.  In the context of these safe and caring relationships God was kindly giving me, my perspective began to shift.  I slowly felt less like someone outside a disliked-world.  They pulled me into this new world with them and to my utter surprise, I began, ever-so-slowly, to like it.

Grace - like it always does in my life - went from a trickle in a dam to a gushing flood.

- - -

This week, I've found myself replaying a few French worship songs over and over.  The words are powerful and the truth they convey has expressed so perfectly what is in my heart.

Yes, God speaks French.  And now I see how wonderful that is.  No one of us, no group of us, will ever be barred from a relationship with a God who cannot understand us - because He can understand every one of us.

And what's more - He is a God so great and big and infinitely awesome that no one language would ever be enough to express He who is.  All the languages together fall short, too, but they are better than just one to praise Him, to talk to Him, to tell about how great He is.

So God...thank You that You speak French.  And English.  And Spanish, and Wolof, and Serer, and all the other languages that I don't even know about.  You are such an amazing God.