This weeking was a little challenging when it came to the Sunday morning Spanish service. You see, I received a phone call Saturday night that there were some problems with the thermostat in the building where Pastor Daniel Hernandez meets. He was calling me to tell me that he most likely would not be able to make it to the service. Now, Pastor Daniel has been assisting us for a year now, translating, teaching and preaching and now he wasn’t going to be able to make it. So, I tried to find someone to help, but was unsuccessful. Here was my text:
Por esta razón, también nosotros, desde el día que lo supimos, no hemos cesado de orar por vosotros y de rogar que seáis llenos del conocimiento de su voluntad en toda sabiduría y comprensión espiritual, para que andéis como es digno del Señor, agradándole en todo, dando fruto en toda buena obra y creciendo en el conocimiento de Dios; Colosenses 1:9-10 La Biblia de Las Americas
Now, unless you speak Spanish, the text above probably doesn’t mean much to you because you can’t understand it. When I looked at it, I was overwhelmed at the thought of preaching this text in Spanish!!! I was reminded of something; I don’t know the language like I should, or like I want to. This started my thought process.
This was a painful reminder that I must confess that not only do I not know Spanish as well as I should, even more important, I do not have the knowledge of the Scripture that I should. Oh how I long and desire to know the Word of God, but sadly I feel sometime like I am reading a foreign language, but my prayer concerning this matter is this:
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. Psalm 119 9-18 ESV.
I have underlined some points here for emphasis. Oh, that I would delight myself in the Word of Christ. For there is no other rule that God hath given man by which we may know how to glorify and enjoy Him! Christian, delight yourself in the law of God! Meditate on His precepts, and store up His Word in Your heart.
You say, what can I do when I don’t understand it? Seek the Lord!! What about when it seems like I am reading a foreign language. Pray earnestly, and don’t let go! Ask the Lord to open His word to you and incline your heart to the Scripture!
Back to the Hispanic Mission at Rockport, we made it through. The Lord blessed, and He is good. We continue to see new faces on a regular basis. Pray for us as there are some specific prayer requests that I would like to share with you:
Por esta razón, también nosotros, desde el día que lo supimos, no hemos cesado de orar por vosotros y de rogar que seáis llenos del conocimiento de su voluntad en toda sabiduría y comprensión espiritual, para que andéis como es digno del Señor, agradándole en todo, dando fruto en toda buena obra y creciendo en el conocimiento de Dios; Colosenses 1:9-10 La Biblia de Las Americas
Now, unless you speak Spanish, the text above probably doesn’t mean much to you because you can’t understand it. When I looked at it, I was overwhelmed at the thought of preaching this text in Spanish!!! I was reminded of something; I don’t know the language like I should, or like I want to. This started my thought process.
This was a painful reminder that I must confess that not only do I not know Spanish as well as I should, even more important, I do not have the knowledge of the Scripture that I should. Oh how I long and desire to know the Word of God, but sadly I feel sometime like I am reading a foreign language, but my prayer concerning this matter is this:
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. Psalm 119 9-18 ESV.
I have underlined some points here for emphasis. Oh, that I would delight myself in the Word of Christ. For there is no other rule that God hath given man by which we may know how to glorify and enjoy Him! Christian, delight yourself in the law of God! Meditate on His precepts, and store up His Word in Your heart.
You say, what can I do when I don’t understand it? Seek the Lord!! What about when it seems like I am reading a foreign language. Pray earnestly, and don’t let go! Ask the Lord to open His word to you and incline your heart to the Scripture!
Back to the Hispanic Mission at Rockport, we made it through. The Lord blessed, and He is good. We continue to see new faces on a regular basis. Pray for us as there are some specific prayer requests that I would like to share with you:
- Pray that the Lord would bring people to salvation through the preaching of His word!
- Pray that there might be permanent residents and citizens that are truly converted, whom also the Lord has set apart for teaching and preaching, so that they might take leadership roles in this ministry in the southern section of St. Louis, Missouri.
- We will need funding to supply a permanent Pastor to this role and this is an urgent need.
- Pray for wisdom as we consider contacting a church in Mexico or another Spanish-speaking area for a young man that has been set apart for ministry and desires to serve this summer.
- Pray for Rick as he continues to lead the music, and prepares to put together a band to assist in leading music.
2 comments:
Just in the way of a reminder (and maybe a reproof?), you did say last year about this time that your goal was to be fluent enough in Spanish by the summer (i.e., 2007) that you would be able to preach in the language. I remember Johnny saying something to the effect of "you said that last year."
I remind you only to challenge you, brother.
Thank you for the PUBLIC reproof brother. These comments that I made previously in public demonstrate my own immaturity and at times "tunnel vision."
It is good to be challenged, and with that comes some thoughts about my statement about "being ready to preach." I guess I first, as in many times, did not quite calculate how much life would change between now and then. Not to offer excuses, but for others who are considering the same sort of commitment, because I have heard from several of you, consider the magnitude of being able to preach God's Word in your own language. Beyond that, then consider how long it is going to take you to even make sense in another language, and beyond that goal, then to try to communicate truth in another language. This is an immense task.
Foolish me to think that I could accomplish this task when a dear brother, former missionary to a Spanish speaking country for 20 years still continuously has to be corrected with the language and struggles to actually know how to say what he desires to say.
Now, if you are reading, and are curious about the Spanish service at Rockport. I do have now several brothers that are holding me accountable for the need to convert the service in to Spanish in it's entirety. This is part of the reason why we need a permanent Pastor for this position. Until then, I am so thankful for the brothers that pray with me, encourage me and along with that, challenge me to learn the language. It will be a lifetime task!
To God Alone be the glory!!!
Aaron
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