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04/05/07
Comments (3)

Astonished At My Own Ignorance

Robert Moffat was a Scottish missionary to South Africa and this quote is drawn from a letter he wrote to his wife Mary. In the mid 1850’s he completed the great work of translating the entire Bible into Sechuana and subsequently revised the translation several times. Despite this work he provides an assessment of the limitations imposed by his humanity.

It was only yesterday, after laying down the Bible, that I wondered what kind of mind I would have had if I had not the Book of God, the Book containing the astounding idea of ‘from everlasting to everlasting,’ the development of all that is worth knowing … One would think, that as I have critically and, I think, devoutly read and examined every verse, every word in the Bible, some a score of times over, I should not require to open the pages of that unspeakable blessed Book. Alas, for the human memory! I read the Bible today with the same feeling I ever did, like the hungry when seeking food, the thirsty when seeking drink, the bewildered when seeking counsel and the mourner when seeking comfort. Don’t you believe all this? For alas, I read it sometimes as a formal thing, though my heart condemns me afterwards … I am yet astonished at my own ignorance of the Bible!

Astonished At My Own Ignorance

Comments (3) »

1. David
April 5, 2007
4:03 PM

As an English Lit major, I can profess that no book I ever read gets even close to the level of depth I find in Scripture. I am regularly amazed by book which can be so succint and clear, yet so rich and profound.

Yet I’m quick to remember a lucky moment when I had a conversation with one of the leading Israeli archeologists alive today, Gabriel Barkay, who, despite having no faith in Christ (let alone any religion) demonstrated a far tighter grasp on God’s word than I.

May God’s word fascinate our minds, captivate our thoughts, illuminate our paths, and designate our steps.

2. David
April 5, 2007
4:17 PM

correction requested: “succinct”…not “succint” shows you what it takes to be an English major these days.

3. Armen
April 5, 2007
10:16 PM

Now I’m thinking to myself, I’ve read more words of bloggers today than I have of my Creator. I’ve spent more time in their thoughts than in God’s. What does that tell me about my spiritual state?

God have mercy on me!