The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not defeated it. (John 1:5 Easy-to-Read Version)
At times, it feels that the darkness is stronger than ever before. That’s what the enemy would have us believe – that evil is winning, and believers are dwindling. But as the verse above declares, that’s not true. God’s light is overcoming the darkness all around the world. Take this story from Nigeria as an example:
… in Nigeria
These are hard times for the Waci and Koro-Miyã people of Nigeria. They are farmers, and their major cash crop is ginger, but there will be no ginger harvest this year. Their crops have been destroyed by disease, and are completely unusable. To add to the devastation, incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery are on the increase, even as food and fuel prices soar. Many feel hopeless, and some have taken their own lives.
Yet in the middle of the hopelessness, little by little, people are gaining access to God’s word in their own languages. Some of them (like the women pictured) have been walking miles week by week from outlying villages to listen to a growing number of Bible stories being told by community members who have been trained in oral Bible storytelling. These stories speak of Jesus’ power over the natural world, over demonic forces, over sickness, sin and death.
Now those same stories have been recorded, along with the Waci book of Luke, and 37 people have been trained to use the recordings to lead Scripture listening and reading groups throughout the language area. Those women will no longer have to walk miles to hear Bible stories in their own language.
Nothing can be done about the ginger crop, unless God intervenes. But whether He does or not, there is still hope, and it is found in the person of Jesus.
… and in Central Asia
Meanwhile, God’s word is also bringing hope in Central Asia: ‘…in Jesus’ name. Amen.’ Professor Sabirov* had just finished praying with his teammates. Together they were translating the Bible into a major Central Asian language. Everybody looked at him in amazement.
One of the team members expressed what everybody was thinking. ‘You have never prayed in the name of Jesus before. Does this mean you believe in Jesus?’ The professor responded simply: ‘I am in this way now.’ With these words he acknowledged that he had come to faith in Jesus.
When Professor Sabirov got involved in Bible translation, he was not yet a follower of Jesus. However, his vast knowledge of his language made him a valuable addition to the team, and he helped translate large parts of the Bible. Getting immersed in the Biblical stories slowly but surely transformed his mind and heart. He started believing in Jesus while reviewing the epistles of John, but kept this to himself for several years – until that day when he prayed in the name of Jesus and quietly professed his faith.
People walk miles to hear God’s word. A former non-believer prays in the name of Jesus, his heart and mind transformed by the Lord through Scripture. These are just two of many stories of the Bible changing lives around the world, of God’s light shining in dark places, but we can’t rest yet. Around the world, one in five people are still waiting to experience the Bible in their language. Please pray that this year, in church services around the world, people will encounter Jesus, the light that shines in the darkness, for the first time in the languages that they understand best.
