Prayer Watch: Thankful Prayer and Praise

This morning I read Scriptures on thankfulness. What a blessing to my heart. Then I thought of the emails about completed New Testaments. Every time I read of another New Testament completion, I immediately praise the Lord God for the commitment and the hard work of the believers.

 
Around the world, during COVID, in hard-to-reach places, in countries we cannot name to protect believers, Bible translation continues to move forward. Today there are over 700 Bible translation teams diligently working to complete their Bible translation projects.

We have prayed–and I ask you to commit to praying—for Church Owned Bible Translation projects all around the world. Translation teams need our prayers. They plead for our prayers. Men and women of God living in spiritually dark places have a passion to share the good news with their families, their friends, their people. They love the truth of Scripture, and they need Scripture in the language their people understand.

I invite you to read the stories and testimonies of recent New Testament completions all around the world. I have added Scripture of thankfulness and praise. Even as we praise God for “work well done,” turn your hearts with me and let’s pray for those 700+ teams who are now doing the hard work of Bible translation.

One email reported: “This week the first minority language New Testament completion that Wycliffe Associates has directly supported was completed in [a small South Asian country]! Ten translators from this language were trained while in lockdown in May of 2020 and in almost exactly one year, they have translated the entire New Testament! This is the primary language for at least 25 different tribal people groups.”

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live your lives in him, 

rooted and built up in him, 

strengthened in the faith as you were taught, 

and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

Another staff member reported: “We now have three new partners in a humble region of South Asia. The region is experiencing high COVID rates, they are receiving refugees, there are poor transportation systems, poor internet, and little infrastructure. Regardless of these realities, the partners we have the opportunity to work with are all so humble and kind.”

Our staff member included this note from the project leader, expressing their gratitude to all of Wycliffe Associates, including you, a faithful member of our Prayer Watch team:

"As we are praying for you and for the translation, we are happy to have you in our life to help us, open a door for us to translate Bible in our own language. When we are helpless you have help us today, God have used you all to help us."

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 

since as members of one body 

you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 NIV

Recently when the Udmurt New Testament was completed, one of the Bible translators living in Udmurtia, Russia sent us her testimony. She is filled with joy and love for her place, her people, and God’s Word in her language!

"I sincerely thank God for giving us the opportunity to translate the Bible into our own language”—Northern Udmurt. . . . Now I see how important it is to bring God's Word in people's own language, as it goes deep touching people's hearts and minds. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me to become part of God's plan for the Udmurts." Linara Kamitova.     

Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, 

hymns, and songs from the Spirit. 

Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 

always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, 

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:19-20 NIV

Let’s read one more recent story from a Bible translation project: “The New Testament project in a language group in East Asia was launched in August of 2019. This is the mother tongue to over 10,000 people and the community expressed a longing to have the Bible in their language.

This project began to gain momentum throughout COVID as the Bible translators’ desire and need for God’s Word increased. When the team only had two books left to translate, the project leader contracted COVID and passed away.

The team knew that the project could stall, so they rallied together and completed their New Testament! That translation is now being used to preach and teach in churches throughout the area.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, 
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

Thank you for joining me in prayer and praise to God for Bible translation around the world even as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving.