“Do You Want Fruit, Cheese or Ice Cream?”
This was a phrase I had to memorize in French when working at a small bed and breakfast in Villar, Switzerland during the summer of 1979. Villar was in the French speaking part of Switzerland and I knew almost no French except for hello, goodbye, counting numbers to 8 or 10 and whatever remained in my brain from 5th grade at Cloverdale School. My job consisted of cleaning the rooms, helping in the small kitchen, and serving the guests breakfast and dinner. The menu was set except for their choice of dessert which was fruit, cheese, or ice cream. I had to memorize these words and of course if their response was ice cream I then had to respond with the pre-memorized, “Do you want chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?” It was an interesting summer to say the least. As soon as I opened my very Southern mouth they realized I wasn’t from around there but they would then assume that I did speak fluent French and then they would haul off speaking who knows what. They were certainly speaking but I did not understand a thing because I obviously spoke only Southern English... Oh yes, I “knew some French”….hello, a few numbers, two pre-programmed memorized questions, and of course good-bye. I didn’t fool them for long. Because I didn’t really speak their language I couldn’t go any further in our casual relationship. If I had wanted to get to know them more I couldn’t because I couldn’t understand them. I fear that this describes the relationship many professing Christians have with Jesus. Oh yes, they say they know Him and love him but when ask about their prayer life they say it is weak, very weak. Well in God’s eyes our prayer life is our relationship to Jesus. That’s what makes Christianity a relationship not a religion. The person of the Holy Spirit is living in you giving you 24/7 direct access to the throne through Jesus. Oh yes, most Christians say they pray… Hello, a few pre-programmed sentences, and then a quick goodbye. Fellow believers, this is not a prayer life. This is not a vibrant relationship. Trust me, if you are His, He is always speaking to you but do you understand Him. Are you listening? Do you know His voice or does it sound like French to you? Do you want to turn it around-do you want to have an intimate relationship with your Creator and come to the end of all your longings? He is just waiting to teach you how to speak His language and listen to His voice. It starts with a radically surrendered heart and a plunging into His Word and walking by His Spirit. He’ll fill you up with more of Him than you can imagine if you’ll just ask and mean it. If you can pick up the phone and order a Rosetta Stone Language learning CD and be speaking fluent French in just a few months can you even imagine what the Father can do in your life in a few quick months through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit? Start learning a new language today- the language of the Holy Spirit in you. Get into His Word so He can get His Word out of you. Don’t settle for just fruit, cheese, or ice cream when He has the whole smorgasbord awaiting His beloved. Enjoy!
Ann Allen Salter
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