Never Give Up 永不放弃
Dexu Xia
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips. Joshua 1:8
“Time went by. War came in.” That’s how Bishop Semi Nigo of the Keliko people of South Sudan described delays in his church’s long struggle to get the Bible in their own language. Not one word, in fact, had ever been printed in the Keliko language. Decades earlier, Bishop Nigo’s grandfather had courageously started a Bible translation project, but war and unrest kept halting the effort. Yet, despite repeated attacks on their refugee camps in northern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the bishop and fellow believers kept the project alive.
Their persistence paid off. After nearly three decades, the New Testament Bible in Keliko was delivered to the refugees in a rousing celebration. “The motivation of the Keliko is beyond words,” said one project consultant.
The commitment of the Keliko reflects the perseverance God asked of Joshua. As God told him, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). With equal persistence, the Keliko pursued the translation of Scripture. Now, “when you see them in the camps, they are smiling,” said one translator. Hearing and understanding the Bible “gives them hope.” Like the Keliko people, may we never give up seeking the power and wisdom of Scripture.
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What will help you persist in reading Scripture? How could another person help you better understand it?
Loving God, stir up in me a greater hunger to seek, study, and know the Bible, never giving up my quest to understand Your wisdom.
永不放弃
这律法书不可离开你的口。—约书亚记1章8节
南苏丹的克利科族主教尼戈（Semi Nigo）用“战争频传，遥遥无期”，形容他的教会渴望拥有克利科语的圣经，但却一再被延误的情况。事实上，在这之前，他们未曾有过克利科语的文字印刷。几十年前，尼戈主教的祖父勇敢地开始翻译圣经的工作，但因战争和局势动荡而使翻译事工一再受挫。然而，尽管他们所处位于乌干达北部和刚果民主共和国的难民营屡屡受到袭击，主教和信徒们仍坚持进行圣经翻译事工。
他们的努力不懈终于有了成果。将近三十年后，在一个激动人心的圣经奉献礼中，克利科语的《新约圣经》被交到难民手中。有位事工顾问说，克利科人的决心是难以言喻的。
克利科人的这种毅力正反映了上帝对约书亚的要求，要他坚持到底。上帝对约书亚说：“这律法书不可离开你的口，总要昼夜思想，好使你谨守遵行这书上所写的一切话。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事顺利”（约书亚记1章8节）。克利科人同样也是坚持不懈地进行圣经的翻译。有位翻译员说：“现在当你在难民营看到克利科人时，大家都面带微笑。因为听见并明白圣经真理带给他们盼望。”愿我们像克利科人那样，永不放弃寻求圣经中的力量和智慧。
什么能帮助你坚持读经？他人如何帮助你更明白上帝的话语？
慈爱的上帝，求祢使我更加渴慕去寻求、学习和了解祢的话语，永不放弃寻求明白祢的智慧。