One day back in the summer of 2001 I was riding a Toronto street car. If I recall right it was the Dundas street car going to Broadview Subway station. I remember I was seated. I was on my way to Church. My heart was rejoicing for no reason at all. I was in the best of moods ever for reasons unknown to me but I was enjoying myself. All of a sudden a couple of some strange words slipped out of my mouth. I couldn’t understand what I just said. But it felt good and I felt an overwhelming urge to keep doing it. Unfortunately, there were people around me and I had to contain myself.
I came to church. I had to make a phone call before going to a worship practice. I made the call and I was in the middle of a conversation with a friend of mine when the strange words slipped out of my mouth again. I moved the mouthpiece away. My friend said “what did you say?” He thought I was trying to say something to him. I said “nothing” and we carried on the conversation.
Since I had learned enough about speaking in tongues, I started to think this might be it. I wanted to be by myself so bad so that I can find out. On one hand I was so excited about it but I was a little bit scared too. I knew if I find the time and place, I am ready to burst. I was just holding it back. After worship practice I went home only to find out that my wife and a few other people were in the house making it inconvenient for me to be by myself. By now it is already getting dark. I told my wife that I wanted to go for a bike ride and left the house on a bike. I just want to go to a quite place and let it out. I did. The neighborhood was quite and I went around it on my bike a million times speaking in tongues. That is how I started speaking in tongues.
Think about it, though. If I didn’t know anything about tongues, I would most likely have seen my doctor to tell him about these strange words coming out of me. Guess what? He would have referred me to a psychiatrist. I could have gone from a specialist to a specialist but none would have been able to explain what was happening to me other than to call me a schizophrenic or something like that.
Of all the places in this world, the only correct explanation for my experience is found in this ancient book we call the Bible. It says speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This 2000 year old book is as relevant today, if not more, as it was 2,000 years ago. My street car encounter leaves me with no choice but to believe everything this book tells me. This book says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever more. I believe it with all my heart.
Blessings,
The Cyber Evangelist |