One Billion
“The Word likely won’t come alive for you if you aren’t in it. The pages left unturned can’t perform a miracle in your life if you don’t spend time in them.”
I want you to do something. Take an inventory of the bibles in your home. How many do you have? How many different translations do you own? And beyond a physical copy, do you have one on your phone?
If you are like me, I have more bibles than I can count. I am a bit of a bible-hopper. There is something about opening one for the first time, crisp and unmarked, that just makes me giddy. I have study bibles, journaling bibles, thinlines…all in different translations. I have floral bible tabs for several of them, and the English nerd in me who loves annotating is obsessed with colorful pens to mark in them as I read.
Do we even realize how privileged we are to possess not just one bible but multiple? Do we even realize what a gift it is to own a physical copy of God’s Word? I am afraid we have no idea what a gift it is to hold. In some cases, our bibles spend more time collecting dust than being used- let alone treasured.
I went to the LO Conference this weekend, hosted by Sadie Roberston. We sat through a presentation by illumiNations about the people groups in the world who have no access to scripture. I expected that it was quite a few people, but my heart wasn’t prepared for the reality.
There are currently one billion people who do not have a single verse translated in their native tongues. 1,000,000,000. No John 3:16. Nothing.
illumiNations exists to raise money so that translators can make God’s written Word a reality for these people. At the rate they were able to pay for this services, these one billion would not have scripture until 2150. That’s over one-hundred years! Those are lifetimes. Lives never exposed to the truth of God. But now with fundraising, this could be a reality in 2033! *linking their site at the end!
We got to watch a video of one of the people groups receiving bibles for the first time. (Please click the link and go watch!) Tears streamed down my face as I watched the tears streaming down their faces. What they beheld was precious to them. What they received was life-altering and life-giving. And how they welcomed it with joy and gratitude convicted my heart. I want to treasure God’s Word in this way instead of taking it for granted. The God of all of existence speaks to us. I will never get over this because He doesn’t have to do it. We have His words in our very hands. We can know Him- truly, deeply know Him. But so often, we choose not to do so. We are too busy for that.
Here is my challenge to you as I challenge myself:
1. Imagine your life without a physical copy God’s Word.
Really- stop and imagine your daily life. Would it look any different? Would things change very much? Would your daily routine be altered in any way? If you are able to survive without it now for days and weeks when you have such easy access to it, then something is wrong.
2. Start with a simple prayer.
If your bible has been collecting dust (like mine has in the past), pray Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (ESV). Just open it up. Ask God to show you His wonders. Ask Him to help you stand in awe. Why wouldn’t He grant that request?
3. Be faithful.
The Word likely won’t come alive for you if you aren’t in it. The pages left unturned can’t perform a miracle in your life if you don’t spend time in them. Moses urges the Israelites to “take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today…for it is no empty word for you, but your very life” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47 ESV emphasis added). We have to read it as if our lives depended on it. Because our lives do depend on it! Set an alarm each day as a reminder to pause. And the more faithful you are in spending time with the Lord, the more you may begin to treasure it for the gift it truly is.
I want to treasure God’s Word. Because that’s exactly what it is. It’s a treasure- more valuable than any gold. It’s our light and our path and our bread. And we have it. We hold it. For those who can’t yet, let’s not take it for granted.
If you are interested in contributing to this amazing cause, go here!