28 Apr Bible Sunday
Dear Friends,
What is your earliest memory of hearing or reading a Bible story? Do you remember receiving your first Bible? Who gave it to you and when? Who do you most associate with teaching stories from the Bible?
Psalm 119 has a lot to say about the sacred words of our faith. When I say “a lot” I mean that the psalmist gets on a roll and keeps on rolling…to the tune of 176 verses! In every way he can think of, the psalmist extols the virtues and glories of God’s Word. For example:
“Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Happy are those who keep God’s decrees, who seek God with their whole heart, who do no wrong, but walk in the Lord’s ways. You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances.”
These are the first seven verses—only 169 to go!
Later in the psalm, the psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path” (v. 105).
We can sometimes forget that scripture is God’s gift to us, a gift that is life-changing and life-giving. That’s because it has power that defies logic or explanation. Similar to love or prayer, scripture “works” in ways that we often don’t understand. Sometimes, this special gift gives us comfort in the midst of difficult circumstances, or hope during a period of darkness, or provides clarity when a decision needs to be made. At other times, scripture works on us over a period of months or years to change our attitudes or give us perspective or challenge our comfort and preferences.
As Christians, the Bible is our “plumb line,” centering us to God’s will for our lives. It is the accurate measure against which we judge our actions and choices. Thus, as the psalmist says, it lights our paths in a trustworthy way.
We will celebrate Bible Sunday on May 8, placing into the hands of some of our children the precious gift of God’s Word. Please take a few moments to share your favorite verse or a special memory you have of reading the Bible. It is a joyful privilege to launch our young readers on what I hope will be a lifelong love of Scripture, and we can all participate in this exciting new venture in their lives.
And for all of us, children and adults alike, let us join the psalmist in walking in the Word of the Lord.
Yours for the Kingdom,
Michelle
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