My Bible

I am getting to the point where it's time to get a new Bible. Mine is falling apart. I have glued and re-glued it back together as many times as I can. This Bible is not even that old, but it's seen better days. I wish I could still use a really small one, but my eyes won't let me.

Speaking of old Bibles; There is just something special about all of my Bibles. I picked up a Bible off the bookshelf the other day that I have been using in my quiet time this week. It was the first Bible I ever owned. My wife gave it to me many moons ago. I wish I could tell you how many moons ago, but the cover is missing, and the beautiful inscription my wife wrote to me with the date was on the inside of the cover.

As I have been thumbing through the pages of that old Bible, I have read some of the notes in the margin that I wrote. I have seen many underlined or highlighted verses that God was speaking to me at that time about. I remember how back then I devoured God's Word with intensity. I couldn't get enough of it. And then I was convicted. I was convicted because although my new Bible is worn out too. It is worn out for different reasons. It is worn out because of Sermon preparation. It is worn out because I use it many times in a more academic way these days. I used to read my Bible with desperation for God to speak to me---many times now, I read my Bible with desperation for a sermon.
Last Sunday I spoke about priorities. I am going to once again make God's Word one of my top priorities.

Here is one of those underlined passages from my old Bible that speaks to this:

"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought you; Oh, let me not wander from your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin againgst You."