The Original Language of Man

.... In our previous postings we've explored a realm of communication that can occur without words. We began with the song of creation in the moods of the sky or the sea, or in the face of the land (Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:20). These impressions come to us entirely from an outside source; yet we may explore their testimony of God and internalize their meaning through solemn, thoughful meditation. God designed them to be reflective in this way (Romans 1:19-20); and in moments of retreat such as these, we find ourselves growing in touch with Him.
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.... Next we explored the ability of music to convey a message to our heart, even when words were not being used. This was more personal than the testimony of the heavens because a living person created and played the music; but in many ways the affect could be similar. For in meditating or musing on the tune, the tempo, the melody, etc., or the lyrics if they are included, certain feelings can be evoked that will put us in a thoughtful, reflective mood. And once again, depending on the overtones of music itself, we may find ourselves growing in touch with Him.

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.... And now, in this posting, we’ll discuss another type of communication that is completely interpersonal in nature. Like the others, it can take place even without words. It is, in fact, our most primal form of communication, and it is based on a natural ability within us all:

.... "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

(1 Corinthians 13:11)

.... When we were born we spoke no language whatever. Everything we learned was perceived through the attitudes and the tones of voice that we observed in others -- or we might say, that we learned through the moods or impressions that they exposed us to. Our perception of them and of the world was almost spiritual in nature, including a rudimentary element of discernment.

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.... Gradually, we began to glean intelligence from those words. Soon, through a process of repeated exposure and comparisons between words, intentions and results, we began to associate the proper meanings with the corresponding words (as in 1 Corinthians 2:13). A secondary type of communiation took form as our spoken language was learned.

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.... As we grew older we began to develop and depend on this spoken language, and to learn new things by it, so that our original ability to learn perceptively was largely replaced, and became rusty. Yet impressions were the original language of every person, and they are still at work in the sort of communications we’ve described from the heavens and in the example of music. This ability comes full circle when another child is born, who gurgles and coos, and no one understands a thing he's saying – except his mother, who understands him perfectly. She has revived this perceptive ability within her own life in order to reach back to him.

.... "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

(1 Corinthians 2:13)

.... When God speaks to us today, He seems to tap into this original ability again, stirring it up and reviving it from deeply within us. In so doing, He may entirely bypass words and their meanings, and speak to us through the testimony of creation, through music, or even through our own times of quiet meditation, by the moods, attitudes or impressions that are formed. All of these may be reflections of His own voice as He speaks directly to our spirit through deep groanings that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26).

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.... As we muse on these mysteries and search them out in our heart, what is actually taking place? An overall concept is perceived, and our tendency is to break it down into its particulars. We'll compare these to a spectrum of our own thoughts, searching for a match or at least a similarity to something we may already understand (1 Corinthians 2:13). When this comparrison succeeds, our understanding of the overall mystery receives that much more definition as a result. Then another facet is explored, etc.

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.... Under the auspice of the Holy Spirit, this process continues prayerfully as each facet is considered. The broader meaning of the whole, original concept emerges as these puzzle pieces come back together -- and of course, the role of the Bible is crucial in verifying this (2 Peter 1:19). And if we grasp the true intention behind this mystery, a living connection with our Lord will occur in which His heart, mind and character will be clearly revealed: for "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19:10)
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.... The whole process takes place deeply within our spirit, and it can be very taxing. Yet it is also very fulfilling. For example the prophets, in finding the words to express the concepts they'd perceived, had spent so much time with them that they came to fully understanding the mysteries they held (1 Peter 1:11; 1 Corinthians 13:2). We’ll continue this discussion in our next posting.

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Daily Bible Reading: Acts 8