‘…And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ Mark 12:30

Kristjanmob, believe the Biabulbuk.

The above sentence is not a misspelling or a mistyping. It is a series of words whose main components are Kriol, also known as Pidgin English. Kriol is the language spoken by the half-million Aborigines in the north of Australia. If you want a translation of the idea, it would simply say: Christians believe the Bible.

The reason I share this sentence is because after more than 30 years, and with the input of more than 100 linguists, the Bible has been translated into a language that those precious aboriginal people of the Lord can read. Praise God.

Translation coordinator Margaret Mickran says the project was not without its difficulties. While the words of the aborigines can often sound very much like English, they can often have meanings that are quite different. As an example of the problems encountered, Ms. Mickran referred to the passage that is our text theme for this devotion. While we say ‘love the Lord with all your heart’, one of the large aboriginal groups is better able to understand the concept if it is translated as, ‘Love the Lord with all your insides.’

While the freedom with the original languages may actually make the translation more of a paraphrase, I am, nevertheless, most grateful to the Lord for granting the visionaries of the project a spirit of patience and deep commitment.

Imagine what it will be like for those native peoples to hear, for the very first time in their own language, the story of Adam and Eve’s rebellion. How wondrous will be the story of the Savior’s birth! Will not hearts be moved to sorrow as they are told of the Savior’s sacrifice, His suffering, and His death for sinners? How great will be their rejoicing to hear, in their very own language, the glorious resurrection words of the angel, “He is not here, He is risen, as He said.” I can’t imagine what they will think.

Well, maybe I can. Maybe they, like each of us who have been redeemed by the Savior, will think, “Such a gracious God should be loved with all of our insides.”

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, long ago You told us to go, teach, preach, and baptize. We give thanks that your people have taken that Great Commission seriously. Especially today, we rejoice that the Holy Spirit will, in their own language, speak to these people. Grant that He may speak to all nations and individuals, touching them with the wonders of Your love. In Your Name, Amen.

Today's Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 23-24    John 6:41-71

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