jammin' with    God
a Christian musician’s perspective by Pete Caputo

Jam#10   Beyond Human Language
Musicians understand how communication is possible through music.  But if you talk to a mathematician, you’ll see a universal language through numbers.  Likewise, there are tons of other non-conventional and even non-verbal forms of communication.  I’m sure you can think of a few, yourself. 

But the languages we employ, all come with limitations, because they can only convey part of a story or thought.  In fact, it seems no matter what form of communication you’re using… sooner or later, a wall gets in the way, between you and your original thought.

This usually leaves us longing for more… a way to really get it all out… a way to unburden our hearts. 

Now, prayer can also be described as a language.  But just like any other language, you don’t just wake up one day and start speaking and understanding it fluently.  It takes time and practice to achieve a certain level of satisfaction and efficiency.  But, I’m not talking about the rehearsed prayers you’ve learned in Sunday school here.  They’re all fine and good and have their place and purpose.  But what I’m talking about is developing a prayer language that goes beyond our mind’s ability to comprehend.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “…I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

Isn’t it interesting that there are two ways to pray?  I remember the first time I sunk my teeth into this scripture.  Talk about your enlightened moments… suddenly it made perfect sense to me.  The thing that was missing in my prayers was the realization that my talking with God doesn’t end when I open my eyes.  In fact, long after I run out of words to say, I can still be in communication with the King!

Remember when we jammed on Jesus’ ministry?  The essence of it was to “stay connected”.  Well this is how he did it.  His prayer language was based on a dialect found way beyond His human language.  Yet the level of communication was incredibly comprehensive and amazingly effective.  He knew exactly what the Father wanted, what to do, where to go and how to do it, at all times.

Now you may say,  “Well… that’s because He was Jesus.  What do you expect from the Son of God?”  OK, that’s true, but also remember this.  Romans 8:29 says that Jesus was “…the firstborn of many brethren.”  This means that we have the capacity to do things, the same way He did.  So if Jesus was always connected to the Father, then guess what… we can be too!

But a prayer language is not something that I can teach you, nor anyone else for that matter.  You see we all must learn to speak this language from the same teacher… Love.  And since Love is unselfish by nature, the very first thing that happens is we learn that it’s necessary to strip ourselves of all our concerns, worries and wants. 

This idea goes against everything we’ve learned about prayer… doesn’t it?  For most of us, we’ve been conditioned to think of prayer as the way we get things from God.  Almost like every prayer is another trip to God’s deli counter… just take a number and wait to be served.  “Ah, yes Lord… may I have a pound of Thy will, well done, two pounds of deliver us, a side of angelic protection, and oh… don’t forget my daily bread please?

Well, right up front, we need to understand that praying beyond human language means forgetting about our needs, our wants, and our Christmas wish lists… because none of them really matter for the moment.  I know this is hard to do, but trust me.  It’s a good thing, to put them aside because we don’t need any distractions at this point.  We’re trying to get beyond our human language barriers, remember? 

It’s kind of like carrying your laundry bag to a friend’s party.  Does your friend have a washing machine?  Yeah… I’m sure he does, but… well… it’s just a little inappropriate to do your laundry at your friend’s party… don’t you think?  Would your friend mind that you needed to do your laundry at his place?  Well, if he’s a good friend, then I don’t think so.  But you’ve been invited over to have a good time, to mingle, to rub elbows with the heavenly host.  Leave the laundry for later… man.  It’ll get done.

So, let’s go beyond human language… shall we?  Let’s take a look at our best example… Jesus.  When He was asked about how to pray, He said, pray like this… “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.”

Most of us know that as the Lord’s prayer, or the Our Father.  Funny thing is… I don’t believe Jesus ever expected us to hang that prayer on the walls of our consciousness.  In fact, if you read the account of Matthew chapter 6 last thing He wanted us to do was to simply recite this prayer from our understanding.  Jesus had just finished telling His followers not to pray like the “hypocrites” or the “pagans” who thought that they were heard through their repetitious prayers.

But it’s a real shame to see what most of our churches have done to this passage of scripture.  The very thing that Jesus warned us about is what it’s become… a vain repetitious prayer.

You see, Jesus tried to explain to us that prayer is the only form of communication that will transcend conventional language leading us into the spiritual realm.  It takes us right on up into the highest, purest connection to the Father.   Ephesians, chapter 2 tells us that, “…we are seated in heavenly places”.  Well, what do you think you’re doing while you’re up there… just taking in the view? 

Hello McFly… guess what?  We’re there to learn, to communicate, to converse with the King.  This is what He’s trying to tell you… “pull up a heavenly chair… set awhile.  We’ll talk… but not with that tongue.  Up here, that thing is useless.  Because up here is where time meets eternity, where logic meets faith, where the vain meets the divine.  You don’t really think that your English is gonna cut it up here… do you?   You’re getting a taste of heaven, dude.  I want to give you some good stuff to take back to planet earth… to help you deal with your temporary existence.

And then, when you’re ready to face your day, you’ll be equipped with a new dimension of faith in me… with peace that passes understanding… and with a new song in your heart.”  Now that’s what I call a jam! 

“So, what does this heavenly language sound like… how do I start speaking it…” you may ask.   Well, you may be surprised to find out that you’re probably speaking it more than you think.  In fact… that’s the point… isn’t it?  If you were praying with your understanding, then it wouldn’t praying in the spirit… right?  You see, the prayer language we develop beyond our human tongues can be intricately intertwined with every part of our lives.  It can be part of everything we do, part of all that we are.  We can be speaking this language every time we touch another life, every day we go to work, every interaction with our family and loved ones… every time we walk into a room.  This is why Psalms 37 says,  “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” because that person has learned how to communicate with the King.

Now, does this mean you start hearing things and go around, talking to yourself in public?  Well if you do, then don’t blame me… OK?  The last thing your prayer language should do is bring attention to yourself or create a stumbling block for someone else.  Remember, people were attracted to Jesus because of his connection to the Father, not freaked out by it. 

You see, there are two basic reasons that God gives us this prayer language.  The first is so that our lives are enriched and empowered with His Spirit.  The second is so the very same Spirit of God can seek out the lost and the hurting and make himself real to them, through us.  His desire is to bring His children together through His Spirit, because it’s “not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”

You’ve heard of the story of the Tower of Babel.  It’s the tale of a time where humans decided they no longer needed God.  So convinced, they were, of their self-sufficiency and prideful accomplishments, they decided to construct this huge monument to memorialize their achievements… sounds almost like modern times, doesn’t it?  But what happened?

Well, in Genesis, chapter 11, God says… “Behold, the people are one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”

But why would God not be proud of a society who had achieved such a high level of self-actualization?  Well he probably would have been.  But achievements like that are empty and meaningless, if they are not connected to God, because without Love in the center of it, the plan will ultimately fail.  It may look good for a time, it may win Nobel peace prizes and public acclaim, but without Love… I don’t want nothin’ to do with it.

Well, you know what happened.  God made a syntax salad out of their language, they couldn’t communicate with each other, and finally… just give up the whole project.  But there’s a lot more to this story than what meets the eye… or tongue, in this case.  You see, God used languages to separate mankind, so that He ultimately could bring us back together again through another kind of language.

Fast-forward to the book of Acts, to what is called the day of Pentecost.  God used a festival that brought all different tongues together, to demonstrate his power to unify people.  In the midst of this gathering were the early followers of Christ.  Well, Jesus, who had recently visited with them after his resurrection, gave them these instructions, “…you will receive your authority when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, then in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)

Well, in Chapter two is where they all started praying together and suddenly they started speaking in other tongues.  It became such a commotion that it moved out into the streets and everyone started noticing it.  Long story short, what God was doing, was demonstrating that through His Spirit, dwelling in His believers, all people could now be re-united, living as one.  And in this unity, there would be nothing that they could not accomplish.

But now, instead of a common language unifying a people, it would be the power and the Spirit of the living God demonstrating His Love for us as we work together building God’s Kingdom in the world.  And no matter what language you may speak or pray in, the thing that really brings us all together are the words of love that we learn in our prayer language.

For now, as we live through our lives here on earth, we’re obviously still very heavily dependent upon our native tongues to communicate.  I’m doing it right now... with you.  But the only language that will ever really matter, in Heaven and for all of eternity, is our prayer language.  So we need to remember, that although you and the King may start to become tight with this lingo, we’re still working on how to speak it to each other.  This is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:1… “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Let me close with something that a good friend once told me.  He said… “Christians should preach always… and even use words, if necessary.”  That kind of ministry is only possible when we learn talk to each other, and to God, in Love.  That’s the only tongue that goes beyond human language.

Jammin exercise:                           The gesture of hands placed together pointing skyward is a universal symbol of prayer.  But, did you ever wonder who was the first person to think of doing that?  Well we may never know who that person was, but you can rest assure that he or she was communicating way beyond human language.

Take a moment to ask God how He may want you to deepen your prayer language with Him.  Let Him show you not only the types of prayers, but also the way He would like to have you pray.

For instance, the bible speaks of the prayer of adoration, (where we recognize God for who He is), the prayer of contraction, (showing sorrow for our sins), the prayer of thanksgiving, (for showing our gratitude) & the prayer of supplication, (where we actually ask God for things).  There are arguably other forms of prayer, but for our purposes here, let’s just focus on these categories.  Do you see Love in the middle of each prayer?  Is Love the reason you’re praying?  Do you need to ask for more Love?  Within each type of prayer, take your communication beyond human language and let your life reflect your effort to talk with the King.