Thankful Thursday-Precious Words

Today's topic is being thankful for the word of God, and the various translations that help us in our study of it.

I am certainly thankful for God's word. I think it must have been so hard for the early church to not have their own copies of the word to read daily! When I hear of stories even today of underground churches that only have one bible amongst so many, it touches my heart. I've even heard that some churches will tear out a page out of the bible loaning it to a family for one week to memorize as much of it as they can! Here I am, in America, personally owning three translations of the bible. There is no excuse for me not being in the Word!

My favorite translations are The Message, The New Living Translation, and the Amplified. Each year I switch the version for my bible study. This year it is the New Living Translation. I'm thankful for all the hard work the translators put into the New Living Translation!

I want to share with you one of my favorite passages out of The Message translation:

Isaiah 43:1-4 "But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel:"Don't be
afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're
mine.When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.When you're
between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel,
your Savior.I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with
rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you."

Isn't that awesome? Remember, if you have accepted the Lord as your Savior, you become as the seed of Abraham and this promise is for you, too! (See Galatians 3:29)

Join me in 2009 in immersing ourselves in His Word!

If you'd like to participate in Thankful Thursday, visit Iris at Grace Alone.