Before you read this… go grab your Bible. The one you use the most… I’ll wait.
Ok, got it?
Set it down in front of you. I want you to take some time to look at it. Let’s determine the state of your Bible. Consider these questions:
- What does the cover look like? Is it dusty? Does it look brand new? Is it tattered and worn?
- How is the binding holding up? Is it tearing at the seams? Has it come loose in places? Has some of the color rubbed off?
- In what condition are the pages inside? Are they earmarked, underlined and highlighted? Do you have scribbles and notes revealing God’s footprints in your life? Are some of them ripped from thumbing through quickly? Or are the pages just as they were in the store… pristine white and clean.
- What about the things you’ve placed between pages? Does your Bible offer hidden treasures of cards and sermon notes and bookmarks that represent something special to you? Or, are those “in-between” places barren?
We can tell a lot from the state of our Bibles, can’t we?
- For some… this exercise affirmed and encouraged you to see tangible evidence that you are in His Word regularly. (Be careful not to get prideful)
- For others… this Bible inventory was a wake up call.
I want to say this strongly and boldly, friends, so please hear me. God’s Word is alive, active and powerful! We need to be in the Bible every day because He speaks to us there. We find comfort, answers, direction, peace, guidance, examples, etc. through His divine words.
When you are not in your Bibles daily soaking in His truths… you are spiritually starving yourself.
Look, we are all created with a God-shaped hole in our spirit that can only be filled with Him (although we try so many others ways to fill it). And one way He fills us is through His Word!
Please… wear that Bible out! Feast on His words and experience the power that comes with it.
Why not start now?
©2010 careyscotttalks.com
Carey – there is a song by Plumb called God Shaped Hole.
The chorus says:
There’s a God shaped hole in all of us
And the restless soul is searching
There’s a God shaped hole in all of us
And it’s a void only He can fill
If we aren’t searching in The Word – our Bibles- the void will continue to gnaw at us.
I immediately thought of my grandfather’s Bible. Of course it was a King James version and it is worn where he held it in his big, strong hand. The pages are marked with dates of when he read a certain passage. Just the thought of him sitting in his chair holding that Bible (that I now have) reading the nightly devotion he and my grandmother always did brings a warm feeling to my soul!
Merit… I do love that song. Thanks for posting some of the words here. And I love the picture burned in your mind of your grandfather… that is precious! Thanks for sharing!
Does a large print bible count?
I once read a great quote that relates to this…
“Chances are, if your bible is falling apart, your life is staying together.”
Great reminder!
Love this Carey! So powerful and true. We are doing a ‘Faded Bible’ challenge at the start of the year with our church and a huge push in hearing and knowing the story of God in our lives… the literacy rate of the body of Christ I feel is lower today than it was before the reformation and printing press!
Thanks for this reminder today. I needed to hear that!
Blessings. Cindi