A Bible’s history

Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people,
   who do not follow the example of sinners
   or join those who have no use for God.
Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
   and they study it day and night. (verses 1,2)

Read Psalm 1

I have a Bible that is 118 years old. If it could talk, I wonder what it would say about how it has been used over the years. Perhaps it has been a family Bible, and every evening the family would listen intently as its pages were read. Maybe the Bible readings were read from its pages in worship services. Perhaps it was taken along to Bible studies. Could it say anything about how its pages led its owner to discover the truth about God and his plan of salvation? On the other hand, it’s possible that it lay unopened in a cupboard for 118 years.

The Bible may be just like any other book, made of cardboard, paper and ink, but the words within it contain God’s message to you about his love, his forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. It even says that God will forgive lazy readers of his word.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you read and reflect on God’s word, so that in it you can find strength, encouragement, direction and hope for your life and, above all, so that you can rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus is your Saviour.

Thank you, God, for the Bible. Forgive me for the times I have found excuses not to read it. Give me your Spirit to show me your love through the pages of the Bible. Amen.

by Vincent Gerhardy, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.