Yesterday, in our bilingual service, one of our college kids was helping with the Lord’s Supper. He spent the summer studying Spanish, but I could tell he was nervous as he led the prayer. He even made a grammar mistake, which he quickly corrected.

Took me back to my first public prayer in Spanish. I’d been in Argentina all of a week. Yep, four days of language classes under my belt. And I was invited to help with the Lord’s Supper. I didn’t have to say a prayer, but was invited to say one before we passed the cup (and it was just one cup, not for doctrinal reasons, but just because that’s what they had). I thought quickly and realized that I knew enough Spanish to say a simple prayer.

Unfortunately, I didn’t stick to a simple “Thank you for this cup, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” Nope, I decided to express something a little more complex. Something beyond what I really knew how to say. I soon found myself at a point where I didn’t know how to go forward with the prayer.

This was in the little town of Fray Luis Beltrán. The building sat about 50 yards from the train tracks. And at that precise moment, a train went by. A long one. A loud one. One that allowed me to pause my prayer, collect my thoughts… and say “In Jesus’ Name, Amen” when the train was past!

So what about you? Have you ever talked yourself into trouble when praying with someone else or leading a public prayer?

Photo by Kaya Tanyel