Last Sunday at my church, we focussed on the Bible. Not that we don’t usually, but Bible Sunday gave us the opportunity not just to remember that we value the Bible in our language, but also to remind us to take Bible reading and study seriously – and also that so many people in the world don’t have the privilege that we too often take for granted.
This what the weekly announcement sheet said:
Bible Sunday. This morning we focus on the Bible, with John Doherty of the Bible Society, John Hamilton of Wycliffe Bible Translators and Ruth Lowry, a member of Wycliffe currently working with school and youth groups but expecting to return to Senegal in the near future.
It was good to lead this service with my friend John Doherty. Too often we are asked if our two agencies are in competition. Of course not, we reply – and Sunday showed us in action together, emphasising how our two agencies complement each other. John and I often work together, but this blog is not about the Two Johns – it’s about children praying for Bible translation.
Dear God, thank u for Bible Sunday. Amen
Ruth Lowry went out with the children to Sunday School – or as we call it The Ark – and told the children about how so many people didn’t have the Bible like we have. Towards the end of the service, The Ark floated back into church and the children prayed prayers they had composed with their teachers. Here are some more of the children’s prayers…
Dear God. Thank you for the Bible we have. We want thank you for the Bible. Amen
Dear God, thank you for the Bible please help people to get trained to translate the Bible into other languages. Please help people to learn about you. Amen
Dear God, Thank you that we are so lucky to have the whole Bible in our language. Amen
Dear God. Thank you for giving us the Bible. Some people in different countries haven’t even heard of you. Amen
Dear God. Thank you that we have the privilege to read the whole Bible that other people do not have. Help Wycliffe and other organisations to get the Bibles to the countries that don’t have any at all and help them comprehend it. Amen
Some of the littler ones kept it simple…
Thank you God for Jesus and the Ark
Thank you God for Jonah and the Whale.
Thank you God for Jesus and Christmas.
One older child had obviously been listening very thoroughly…
Dear God, thank you for us having the Bible. But we think about the people who don’t even have the Bible (2,026 languages) and the ones that have only 1 gospel (1,015) and the ones that only have 1 testament (1,276). It is wonderful that we have all of the Bible, but please can you give the whole Bible to everyone. Amen
For lots of ways that you – as well as children – can pray, see here.
[…] Ruth Lowry went out with the children to Sunday School – or as we call it The Ark – and told the children about how so many people didn’t have the Bible like we have. Towards the end of the service, The Ark floated back into church and the children prayed prayers they had composed with their teachers. Here are some more of the children’s prayers… […]
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