What a strange week it has been, and it started last Sunday. Here is how it began.
I gave away my Bible last Sunday. I really liked that Bible. The service was good, actually really good. There were people I had not seen in a while, and I was really glad to see them. I saw some incredible maturity in some of our teenagers. The praise band was incredible, even though Anthony’s amp was loud. But I am so glad he is coming, and bringing people with him, that a loud amp can be overlooked. It was awesome, overall.
Did I mention I gave away my Bible? Man, that was tough. It could have been a typical service, but it wasn’t. Pastor did things differently, and there was incredible spirit over the place. I guess I could sound all churchy and say “God’s Holy Spirit moved across the congregation in a mighty wave” but I don’t talk that way. It was just an incredible morning service. Maybe some of us needed that to suppress the guilt would were going to feel later on when we missed evening service because of the Super Bowl. (it is kind of sad, I don’t even like either team, I just like the commercials but I stayed home anyway). But the service became incredible, people caring for one another, praying with one another, hugs, laughter, tears, support. I love those kind of services.
Except for the whole Bible giveaway thing. Those things don’t grow on trees (well, I guess they are trees, so technically...) Honestly, I have no problem with giving away my bible. I have several of them. Over the years I have bought them because of version differences, or I like the translation, or they were on sale, or they were gifts, so I have several. I guess I want to know what happens to them after they are gone. I want it to mean something. I want the person to whom I gave it to be the next Billy Graham or Martin Luther or Allen Ebbler (owww...my stomach hurts from laughing here). I want to know that they enjoyed it the way I had, that they in turn gave it away. That would be kind of cool. And then they wrote a blog that few people read. And then they made fun of their short pastor in that blog....
Anyway...I loved the service, gave away my Bible, liked the Betty White/Abe Vigoda commercial and the screaming chickens for Denny’s, have been having asthma attacks, my back is hurting, I am going to the fish and boat show in St. Louis with Glenn tomorrow, may see the Wolfman movie, am taking my wife to a Valentines dinner somewhere (Pastabilities maybe, and without Andrew (heaven forbid)) and I gave away my bible. Not a bad week after all.
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Sometimes, that bible that you give away will sit on a shelf for years, not being opened not being moved just sitting there and while you think it was a waste the person you gave it to was touched by your compassion and your willingness to give away such a prized possesion when they had none. Sometimes when they receive it they think, oh wow I am going to read this every day, I am going to become holy, I am going to be walking with Jesus just like the one who gave it to me.
ReplyDeleteThey bring it home the first night and read it and maybe they make it for a week and then it just sits and you may think it was a waste but wait what you don't realize is that gift of Your prized bible, that you loved so much that sits upon a table or a shelf is not a waste but has brought GOD's love into that home, into that person's life, into the atmosphere, into reality and perhaps that bible will sit there for years without being touched but every time they look at it they are thinking of GOD, of HIS word. The love that just seeing that bible and knowing it's there reasures and perhaps later in life they will go back to church and carry that bible with them and when they try to tell a new friend how they got it that friend will be to busy to really listen and will say "Oh yeah that's neat" and go off to do something else, but that person who now holds your bible will hold it a little tighter and remember the love it took to give (the bible for you, Jesus for GOD) away and her heart will beat with love and grattitude.
I know I had a pastor at Victory Babtist Church in Decatur IL named John Baker who listened to me about my troubles at a horrible time in my life and gave me his precious engraved bible, I have never seen him again to tell him how much that meant to me but I am sure GOD has filled his life and his heart with gratitude and love for me.
There was a long period I never read the bible but I knew where it was every step of the way. It has been to Illinois, Texas, Indiana, Texas, Germany, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois....Just like God always with me because of an act of Love. So is it still that important to keep all to yourself?
You have spread more Love with that act than you know.