Khesed News #85 November 2011

• A newsletter telling a little of what God is doing in and through indigenous Australian Christians 
• 

Published by Khesed Ministries, PO Box 448 Cannington WA 6987
                    Editor: John Blacket

The next step from reconciliation
is recognition and
resourcing our people
so they can go
into the nations

Tim Edwards @ Praise Corroboree 1998

 

Understanding God's Word

 

 

 

Kimberley Aboriginal Bible translator, Rodney Rivers, recently said when he was young, he felt Christians were confused. They said they worshipped one God, but their Bible said that their God was:

·         * a light, bread, a rock, & the morning star;
* a lion, a lamb, a shepherd & the door of the sheep yard;
* the tree of life, a vine, & the living water;
* Father, Son, king, prince, priest, judge, & word;
* a shield, a two edged sword, a fortress & a hiding place….

He finally came to realise that English and many other languages use metaphors, and the Bible was using things in our world that we can see and know to help us see what God is like. Metaphors are not really part of Aboriginal languages, since they think in more concrete terms.

Rod also spoke of being told that God's word is sweeter than honey, but when someone actually ate pages of the Bible, they didn't find it sweet, but it gave them a stomach ache for days!

 

CHOGM – Commonwealth Prayer Initiative

The Commonwealth Prayer Initiative came into being as a means of getting prayer for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting – CHOGM – held in Perth in October 2011. Ongoing prayer commenced throughout the 54 nations of the Commonwealth, involving many thousands of groups and individuals, with 24/7 prayer and celebrations leading up to the actual CHOGM meetings.

At the Opening Celebration, four Bibles were carried into Challenge Stadium.

1. A Bible which came on the British First Fleet to New South Wales in 1788, which is housed at St Phillips Anglican Church in York St Sydney, carried by the rector of the church, Justin Moffatt.

2. Two Australian indigenous language translations – Kriol Holi Baibul, and Ngaanyatjarra Mama Kuurku Wangka – carried byKimberley Aboriginal Bible translator, Rodney Rivers.

3. The Shine Bible, commissioned especially for the Shine Commonwealth Prayer Initiative – carried  by Gillean Smiley from the Bible Society.

 

A declaration was made by Ps Tim Edwards on behalf of Australian indigenous Christians as a voice-over to be played as the Bibles were carried into the stadium. Unfortunately, it was not played, due to technical problems, but the words are important:

 

Great Britain brought the Word of God to all the nations of the Commonwealth.

Indigenous Australians are very thankful that the Holy Bible came to Australia
on the first fleet with the original settlers.

 

We are even more thankful that it has been translated into a number of
Aboriginal languages so we can really experience God's light and power in our lives.

 

This third Bible – the Shine Bible – was commissioned for this special event
where 54 Commonwealth nations have come together in prayer.

 

It is our prayer that many more millions of people throughout the Commonwealth
will also experience God's light and power in their lives through God's Word.