Found in Translation
I love having a Bible app on my phone. I like the access to a variety of devotional plans and checking in to see the Verse Of The Day. The other morning, I opened the app and saw some brand new phrases that I never read before:
“For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.”
WOW! I though, “I’ve grown up in the church and never heard this one before!” What amazing phrasing! I couldn’t believe that this verse wasn’t more popular. I glanced at the reference and realized that it was a very familiar passage: Psalm 100:5. In fact, this is a verse that many worship songs are rooted in–songs we play regularly on WJTL. We usually know the verse in this wording:
“For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Then it hit me: I left my app displaying verses in the Message Translation, when I usually read in NIV. Just viewing the passage in a different wording can make the Bible come alive all over again. If you need a fresh word from God, I encourage you to look up some of your favorite verses in a translation you don’t usually use. After all, Hebrews 4:12 says “the word of God is alive and active.” (Or, in the Message Translation: “God means what He says. What He says goes.“)