My New Bible

My New Bible

     I don't know about you, but I'm not one to go about buying new Bibles frequently.  There are some people who have several, and love the idea of buying a new one every time they get the opportunity.  Me, I find one I like and keep it until the pages are literally falling out.  Which is exactly what was happening to mine.  In fact, over the course of the last 35 years or so, I've owned exactly three.  In my mind, I've pictured each one going to each one of my children when I die. (Morose, I know.)  Recently, I reached the conclusion that I had to get a new Bible.  One reason was the 31st chapter of Proverbs kept slipping out, which in my opinion if something was going to fall out, well, so be it.  The next was the sunshine here in Florida must have caused the ink on the pages to shrink because in the last six years it has gotten even harder for me to see those itty bitty letters. But I really hated to give it up.  

     My Bible is so personal to me.  It is marked, it is worn, it is comfortable, familiar.    It is to me like a favorite pair of jeans is to some, or a particularly worn pair of slippers, or robe, or nasty old recliner.  You get the picture, don't you?  It is mine, and although it seems like it really should be replaced, I just don't want to let it go.  It was full of memories; marked by tears, moments of joy and illumination from the Holy Spirit.  Incredibly intimate moments.  You don't just replace that with some upstart fresh book hot off the press.  But I reluctantly added 'New Bible' to my Christmas list last year, and gave my family some directives of what I was hoping for.  

     Christmas morning came and I received not one, but two new Bibles!  One from each of my sons.  One was a very in depth study Bible, the other a beautiful wide margin just right for my personal reading.  How incredible was that?  One for studying and writing, the other for my personal devotions.  

     So there I was, January 1, 2010, with my new Bible; untouched, unmarked, unloved, somewhat impersonal feeling.  I decided to do something I had not done in several years.  In order to make this Bible mine, to put my own personal mark, feel upon it, I would read it cover to cover.  Front to back, start to finish.  I've got to be honest with you and say that the days that I spent in Leviticus and Numbers were rough.  Deuteronomy got sticky as well!  But what helped is that Psalms and Proverbs are daily reading, no matter where I am.  I believe that you need praise and wisdom every day, year round!  I spent all those years in the wilderness with Moses and his crew, struggled with David and all the kings, watched God take Israel in and out of captivity.  I watched, in utter amazement as always, as the children of God turned away from Him again and again as He extended His hand of mercy over and over.  I read through the prophets, both major and minor, looking for glimpses of what I knew was coming.  

     Reading through the Word of God in this way is difficult, yet very enlightening.  We, as New Testament Christians, have the benefit of seeing clearly through the eyes of fulfilled prophecy what the Old Testament saints were only able to envision and hope for.  I found myself wanting to rush through, skip passages, even whole chapters, wanting to jump into the New Testament; I missed being with Jesus.  I wanted to get back to reading the scriptures where grace abounded, forgiveness flowed, mercy is free. But I had to wait, had to get through Malachi.  Then I paused.  There is a blank page there you know. 

     For me it is a blank page, for Israel it was so much more; that blank page was 400 years of silence.  400 years.  Silence.  I cannot imagine going a day without hearing from the Lord.  If God said to me, "Kerri, I'm going away for a day.  I'll be back, but tomorrow, you are on your own.  I'll be back day after tomorrow.  You'll be fine."   Nope, no way.  Not going to happen.  It You are going somewhere, I'm going with You, God.  A day?  How about 400 YEARS? 

     But then, those 400 years were up.  The blank page was turned.  And Jesus showed up.  Wow.  Everything changed.  When I finally began to read Matthew, I felt like I was drinking ice cold water after being in a desert for three days.  I soaked in His words at the sermon on the mount.  What a difference from the prophets.  No wonder the people were amazed and said, "Never a man spake like this man." 

     I am back in the New Testament now, and am looking forward to finishing up my new Bible before the year is out.  It will be my Bible.  It has already been marked by tears, it has been marked by my pen as well.  God has comforted me in sorrow through it, He has encouraged me through it, He has rebuked me and corrected me also.  I have found great moments of rejoicing in it, I have praised Him, I have fallen more deeply in love with Him, and have been reminded again and again of how much He loves me and cares for me.

      In the front of this Bible I wrote the date of the passing of my Daddy, but also the birth of my second granddaughter and will add the date of the birth of my second grandson.  Some day, I know, this Bible too will have to be replaced by yet another.  The reason for this is because no matter how often I read it, my need for its words never lessens, only deepens.  The more often I reach for it, the more  I want it, the more I know of it, I more I desire it. Therefore, as long as I breathe, I will continue to need a new Bible.