Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-199 (Devotional)

DEVISING WAYS TO SAVE

(Also: Ufilas, the first missionary to translate the Scriptures into an unwritten language.)

by Peter Kennedy

“Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.” – 2 Samuel 14:14

Ulfilas was born in Cappadocia in 311 AD. His parents were Christians from Rome, but the pagan Goths captured them and took them hostage. As a young man, Ulfilas was sent to Constantinople and he became a Christian.

He soon was burdened to return to the Goths and to translate the Bible into their language. In 341, Ulfilas returned to the Goths and found that the first task was to develop a Gothic alphabet. Once he established the alphabet, he began the long, arduous task of translation.

Making use of his Greek and Latin language skills, he translated during his spare time while he spent a majority of his time teaching and training Gothic missionaries. The new Bible grew bit by bit until at last it was finished.

Ulfilas became the first missionary to translate the Bible into a language that had not been written down. He then gave copies to the Gothic missionaries who carried it from village to village and from camp to camp of the Goths. Far and wide it spread into their homes in distant places which Ulfilas himself could never have reached with the message.

The Lord is not passive in His desire to reach the world. He is actively devising ways for all men and women to know Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, thank Christ for actively seeking those who remain estranged from Him.

“Poor banished sinners are likely to be for ever expelled from God if some course be not taken to prevent it. It is against the mind of God that they should be so, for he is not willing that any should perish.” – Matthew Henry

God’s Word: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” – Luke 19:10

DEVOTIONS IN 1&2 SAMUEL, 1&2 KINGS, AND 1&2 CHRONICLES

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2002, Devotional E-Mail

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