Beautiful Saviour, Blantyre, Malawi, has a rare privilege.  We have brothers and sisters in the faith from various African countries.  Our English worship is the common language that brings us together.  In this multi-language African city we feel the curse of Babel.  So often there is confusion of tongues, and from that comes misunderstanding and sometimes mistrust.

Yet on Pentecost this year the Beautiful Saviour youth is presenting a drama on the reverse of the confusion of tongues.  Representatives from five languages are represented among the disciples.  The same five languages are represented in the crowds that gathered in response to the sound of the wind and the apparition of the “tongues of fire.”  We have members who speak Chichewa, English, Swahili, Yao, and Sena.  The disciples speak the wonderful works of God in one language.  Then an individual in the crowd recognizes the tongue and responds, “He is speaking in my language.”

How wonderful it is to know that even with the curse of Babel, the power of God’s Word is being proclaimed in all the major languages throughout the world!  The law cuts to the core of an individual’s heart after many generations of sinful cultural tradition.  But the Gospel in any language soothes its sweet salve over the open wounds of guilt.  One day we will see that great crowd that no one can count from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.  They will cry out with one voice and in one language, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9,10).

Then we will see that all our efforts were worth while. It is my great privilege to be a part of that.

Missionary Mark Johnston