every language

"...you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Revelation 5:9)."

This past summer I spent two months in Mozambique with Wycliffe Bible Translators. During those two months I lived with real-live missionaries and did cool linguistics research I could only dream about in the classroom. I swam in the Indian Ocean, rode in buses with live chickens, saw a well built by Vasco da Gama, and even got to speak Portuguese. I saw God at work in the lives of people halfway across the world and made amazing friendships.

But more than anything, I saw the reality of people living without the Bible in their own language. I saw the need for people who are willing to go. People who are willing to give up plans, comforts and conveniences. People who are willing to obey Jesus' command to go and make disciples of all nations. People who are looking ahead toward the day when people from every nation, tribe, people and language will stand before the throne and sing praises to our Lord.

The Bible is priceless. It is the living and active, infalliable Word of God. It is the sword of the Spirit, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It is the spiritual milk by which we grow in understanding. This perfect, pure, everlasting, sweet book revives the soul, makes the simple wise, causes the heart to rejoice, enlightens our eyes, and most clearly tells us all about the creator, lover, and savior of our souls.

And there are over 300 million people living without the Bible! How can we not do everything in our power to give this precious book to the people of every language? My air-conditioning, Starbucks, comfort foods, aspirations, and fears seem silly in light of this question. Acts 2:39 says that "the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself." Without a doubt, I want to be part of taking God's promise to those who are far off. How can I not?