As you can tell I have been in need of a new bible for awhile now. This sounds like an easy task, go online (or if you live anywhere but here you could actually go to a store, WalMart doesn't have much of a selection) put a new bible in your shopping cart, hit a couple of keys and next thing you know a new shiny bible sits at your door. But this wasn't an easy process for me. In fact it took me about 3 months to get a new bible. There was no problem with shipping, or items being out of stock. It was all me. I was having a hard time giving up my old friend.
You see, I've had this same bible nearly all of my christian life. My grandparents gave it to me for Christmas back in 1986. As I flip through the pages of this bible I can see myself growing up. There are passages underlined with red marker because back in jr. high I didn't know that marker would bleed through the pages of a bible. I found notes written in the margin that can only be described as jr. high girl fluffy writing - you know all the the 'i' have circles or hearts above them instead of a little dot.
Even if it's not clearly marked with a specific clue there are passages underlined that take me right back to a certain place or time. In ninth grade we had one class period that was a school wide "Drop-Everything-And-Read" time. I was a fairly new believer and liked to read my bible during this time. I don't remember why, but I had for some reason decided to read Revelations during DEAR time. I remember as if it were yesterday, reading and underlining this passage in Rev. 21. I was so excited by what I read I literally ran all the way to my next class, choir, threw open the door and called out to my Christian friends "Did you know that the there would be no sun or moon in heaven because the Glory of God illuminates it! Isn't that rad!!" So now when I see this passage underlined I am reminded of my new christian enthusiasm and am convicted when I don't get just as excited by God's word.
There are other sections that have dates or names written beside them. These help me remember all that the Lord has brought me through over the years. Loss of friendships that left me eating alone in my car every lunch period my senior year of high school, all I had to depend on was my bible and time with the Lord. It was during this time that the Lord taught me that He alone is sufficient. Or facing the truth about my past. The Lord used His word to heal a broken heart and to wash away years of shame. And most recently, the Lord has used His word to teach me that despite month after month, and year after year of disappointment He IS trustworthy, and loving. I've learned that trust really isn't trust when you get what you want when you want it, true trust happens when it appears that there is no way you will get what you want and you instead trust that He will provide what you need, when you trust His heart more than you trust your own.
So here I am with a brand new bible filled with crisp, clean pages waiting to see what new lessons lie before me, what new memories will lie within these pages.
