Waiting for the Word
Marjorie, a young woman in Tongwa, Zambia, showed us the great impact even a single verse from the Original Testament can make in a life. Marjorie and her husband Moses live in a village where women and children are considered mere property, and until recently, practiced human sacrifice. For many years Marjorie did not know her life held any value. But when the Word of God came to them, translated and spoken in their own language, things began to change. Marjorie heard the story of creation, that both man and woman were created in God’s image. “When I heard that I knew that I, too, as a woman, have dignity.”
God’s Word brought transformation in other life-giving ways. Marjorie and Moses had the first Christian marriage in their village. Their love for each other, and their value and care for their son, set them apart, shining light in the darkness of their culture’s beliefs.
Others in the village also came to faith. When they were asked what verse from the Bible changed them, they answered over and over, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” These words from the Original Testament revealed to them who God truly is as their Creator, and gave them new identities as bearers of His image.As Advent begins and Christmas draws near, we enter a time of waiting to remember the coming of God’s Son, who broke the long silence and brought light into our darkness. For those of us who have the full Word of God in our own language, we know our “soul’s worth” and our value in God’s eyes, and therefore we anticipate the Christmas season with great joy. As you prepare your heart for this time of waiting, I invite you to think of those who speak 90% of the world’s languages who still wait to know the full meaning of Christmas––to learn of their value and dignity in God’s eyes, as Marjorie did.
In this season of giving would you consider a special gift to help us train the translators who make God’s whole Word accessible to those without it?
I am so grateful to be able to serve with you, our incredible partners, who work with us to bring the WHOLE Word of God to people like Marjorie.Truly He taught us to love one another His law is love and His gospel is peace Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother And in His name all oppression shall cease Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy name.
May the hope of Immanuel be yours this Christmas season.
David David Swarr PhD President/CEO Institute for Biblical Languages & Translation A program of Whole Word Institute The whole Word for the whole worldYour faithful service helps bring the whole Word to the whole world
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