Pentecost: Old Testament, Genesis 11:1-9   

Genesis 11:1-9

Language has its purpose. General communication, yes. The conveying of cultural norms, yes. Telling those closest to you, “I love you,” absolutely. But with all those being mentioned, there is one supreme use of language: declaring the glory of God in his Kingdom through the gospel. In our reading today those building this tower, this ziggurat as they were called, had a very different purpose: telling one another how great they were. Self-worship. “ …. let us make a name for ourselves,” reads verse 4. 

Language, rather, was created for making much of God, his love, his plan, his Son. Here’s a good metric to use in daily life. When you hear yourself speaking about yourself a large chunk of the time, take a step back and recalibrate your tongue. Gratitude, praise and boasting in the Lord. There’s a new direction. God, front and center and the focus of what we speak.