There have been times in my life, and you may have experienced this, too, when my soul felt parched and dry. In that place I feel like I’m in a desert. It feels foreign to me. I grew up in New England with woods, streams of water, green fields of pasture, and beautiful wildflowers of all colors.
Following the death of my mother, I found myself feeling barren and dry as a desert. I found nothing familiar. Then one day during my quiet time I read this Psalm of David, when he was in a desert. Psalm 63:1-3 in the NIV says:
You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
Our President/CEO Bruce Smith recently filmed a message for us from 2 Samuel. Let’s listen as he stands at the edge of the Judean Wilderness teaching about David hiding in the desert cave.
When I think of people without Jesus and without any Scripture, I wonder if they feel parched and dry, so thirsty yet unable to find the living water. How they must search with their whole being for the God of all creation, the God who loves them, and brings them life.
It is in Jesus that we find our life fulfilled and our thirst quenched. Because of His great love for us we want to glorify Him—even in a desert. It is God’s love for everyone—millions living in desert countries, beyond borders we cannot cross.
God is leading Wycliffe Associates staff and volunteers to Christians who are asking for Scripture to be translated into their heart languages. Friends, more than 600 language groups are ready, needing Bible translation training and technology.
God is leading Christians from beyond closed borders to meet our teams in safe places where they can be trained to use our technology and translation methods. Returning home, these men and women of God are now translating the Scriptures for their people without raising suspicion!
We have all prayed, asking God for a way to reach those who live in seemingly impossible areas—beyond borders. God is answering our prayers everyday as pastors and church leaders are being trained using MAST methods and technology. They return home and lead Bible translation workshops.
Even while Scripture is being translated into their own languages, they are including neighbor language groups to join them. God is indeed, on the move, even beyond borders!
