Part 1 – Flexibility Training – Reading
Today’s story is a short one, but it tells how languages came to be. First read Genesis 11:1-9.
Genesis 11 (ESV)
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
Ever wonder why the French speak a different language from the Germans? Or the Japanese from the Koreans? Now we know – Pride. In pride the people of Babel thought to make a name for themselves. People haven’t changed much in four millennia.
And it is interesting to note that the descendants of Noah clustered together for the most part. It took this push of not being able to communicate to spread people throughout the earth. Did families end up speaking the same language? Or did brothers need to learn the other’s language to keep peace in the family?
What questions came to your mind as you read?
PART 2 – Strength Training – Memory & Thinking
With the shorter story this time, you have more time to review your first week of memory verses. Keep going! Keep memorizing learning the Word of God!
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
Genesis 9:13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 7:5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
2 Peter 2:9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
Genesis 4:7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Close to the beginning, the Bible tells how people became separated by language barriers and those languages coalesced into nations; then near the end of the Bible, the nations come back together, singing in one voice their praises to the Lamb, Jesus.
Act 17:26-27 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.
Revelation 5:9–10: “They sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’”
Revelation 7:9: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
Part 3 – Cardio Training – Prayer
Spend some time in prayer with God. Every language is native to Him because He made it. He taught you a language so you could speak with Him. Talk to Him about whatever is on your mind. If you don’t know where to start today, why not start with the end. Something like this:
Dear Jesus, You alone are worthy of being first in every way. Because You ransomed people from every language, from every nation, from every ethnic group and tribe, the Father has raise You above all to sit on the throne. Thank You for ransoming me. Thank You that I may join in that final multitude and sing “Worthy is the Lamb”…
Part 4 – Endurance Training
You’ve made it through your first week and have started your second. Keep going. Keep reading. Keep memorizing. Keep praying. Keep running the marathon that is your life in Jesus!
An Extra Lap
Now that you’ve been going a week, here is an extra lap you can run if you have the time and energy:
Pride is the root of all sin. It was what allowed Eve to first question God. It was what lead Adam to blame his wife for something he also did. It lead Cain to kill his brother. Chances are it is the root of whatever sin is troubling you. If pride is what brought Babel low, then recognizing that God is above all will help keep us from sin. John Bunyan wrote a lovely song in his book The Pilgrim’s Progress.
HE that is down need fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
Spend a few minutes reflecting on this song and write about areas in your life that demonstrate where Pride has taken supremacy away from Jesus.
Faith Gym 