Reflection:

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are names familiar to many Christians. The Bible story of God rescuing them from the fiery furnace is famous. But as we see in this verse, those weren’t their original Hebrew names. When they were captured, the Babylonians gave them new names – names that weren’t connected to their original culture and faith.

Cultural suppression is still widespread around the world in many different ways. As recently as 2019, the United Nations declared a year of Indigenous languages to try to encourage the protection of the rich diversity of languages around the world. Because language lost is culture lost.

However, Bible translation is a force of preservation for the vibrant tapestry of global cultures.

In an Asian country where minority groups experience a range of challenges, the completion of a minority language Bible translation enables the people to start literacy classes which empower the next generation – to speak, read and write in their mother tongue, preserving their culture across generations. As literacy skills are learnt, greater personal engagement with the Scriptures is also enabled.

We know that through his word, God promises to be with each of us powerfully, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in and the forces that may seem to be against us – that is the hope we find in the Bible!

Prayer:

God, thank you for being with us no matter what we face. Thank you for caring about the voices of people from all cultures. Thank you for meeting us where we are, no matter how powerful or powerless we seem. I ask that I may know your closeness and power with me no matter what I face today, God.  Amen.