Bibles may come and go, but the Word stays the same
There is this camel colored Bible that I had received over two years ago when I was living in Seoul, South Korea. Previous to this, I came over to South Korea without my small NLT Bible because I was convicted of letting go of it since it was given to me by my ex-fiancee as a gift when we were still dating...so I was Bibleless when I came to Korea.
The first few months in Korea, I would use my laptop to look up scripture passages on biblegateway.com or borrow a used or lost Bible from the church when I needed one, until I started working for the church I was attending. When I was working on staff as a communications coordinator/admin staff, the executive pastor had given me a Bible that had been around for a while. It was a nice camel color leather bound Bible and somewhat used looking, but I liked it.
There is something about a book that has been worn (especially a Bible) that speaks to me, knowing that the owner had cherished it, running through the pages over and over again. The "gold" outer trim of the pages were faded and the although the cover didn't look beat up, it didn't look brand new and it had a softer flex to it. I used that Bible frequently in my times in Seoul. It, besides my keyboard and guitar, was my best friend when I had time at home. And although I only had it for a few years, that Bible had traveled with me to six countries, and close to 20 cities. In Kansas city, I especially made use of my 5 colors highlighters, since I was spending at least 20 hours a week in the Global Prayer Room, the scriptures started to jump off the pages as Holy Spirit would start to reveal amazing nuggets in the Word.
Fast-forwarding to the present, yesterday, I was in the library when I sat down at an empty round table with three books I found from perusing the shelves. There was a young man (maybe 18-20 years old), standing at a window near the table I just occupied. He seemed a little nervous, looking out the window, then sitting at an armchair next to the window (and near my table) and standing back up as if he was waiting for someone. I wasn't sure if this young man was left at the library and he was waiting for his ride back, or had no place to go. I started to pull a couple items from my backpack. I had brought my laptop but felt like taking out my journal and my bible.
As I did so, the young man was observing me, "Is that a Bible?"
"Yes." I replied back.
Again he addressed me, "Is it in Spanish?"
I was a little confused by the questions since I don't think I look like I'm from Latino origins and the young man also didn't look Latino.
"No, it's in English."
He then said, "Oh."
I asked him with a smile, "Do you own a Bible?"
and he replied back, "No." and continued in his nervous routine.
I continued to journal, a little puzzled about our conversation. I didn't know what to think of it. He recognized a Bible, but the rest of the conversation didn't make sense. After about 20 minutes of journaling, I kept getting the prompting to ask him if he wanted a Bible. After a few more minutes I got the courage to ask,
"Excuse me, excuse me." He looked up from what was his slumped armchair position.
"Would you like a Bible?" He then nodded assuredly.
I started taking out all the notes, bookmarks, cards and other little things I keep in my Bible for encouragement, in the meantime explaining to him that my Bible isn't the newest and I have highlighted notes in it.
"You can have mine."
After emptying it, he took it and sat down immediately turning to the New Testament. It looked like he knew exactly where he wanted to read. I could only see from a distance that the page he turned to, that all the words were in red, so I knew he was in the gospels. He turned a little away from me, so that his back was facing me. And I continued journaling for a while. Maybe 20 minutes later, I heard a soft. "Thank you." I looked up and the young man was speaking to me, as if he just remembered that he didn't say anything to me before.
I can't remember if I said "You're welcome." or if I just nodded. I went back to writing and he again said, "Thank you." Again, I can't remember my response, but I continued back to journaling. I was wondering and asking the Holy Spirit if I needed to pray for him, ask him if he understood what he was reading or if I needed to talk to him outside of the library, but I didn't get any prompting one way or another.
I noticed the young man reading the Bible for a while and then he got up, came back and fell asleep in the armchair. A librarian had come up and approach the young sleeping man, attempting to wake him up but left unsuccessful. I then decided to write him a word of encouragement on the note. After I was finished I noticed there were more people in the library. I would wait til the man woke up or when people would clear out to give him the note. He continued to sleep and sleep. I browsed through the three books I earlier grabbed from the shelves, but the young man continue to sleep like he hadn't slept for days. The area did clear out of most of the patrons and I packed my things and wanted to slip the note into the Bible I had given him. I thought it would have been next to him, near the side of the armchair, but I soon realized that he was holding onto it with his hands, on his lap, as his head hung to the side of the chair. I carefully slipped the note into the Bible and walked out.
I can hardly process what had happened but was very grateful. For a long time I knew I would give this Bible away, but I didn't know who, when, or where. I had grown attached to it and at times wondered and almost regretted not trying to give it away in some foreign country, but I had never had a clearer prompting to give it away than yesterday...to this young man. I prayed that the note would deeply encourage him and that the Holy Spirit would start revealing the truth of the reality and presence of Jesus in this young man's life and that he wouldn't be the same again. I trust that God will be moving in mighty ways, not necessarily because of what I did, but because I obeyed and took part in what God is doing.
When I got in the house, I told my cousin and she later passed on a Bible that was passed onto her. She felt that as she did so, she is able to dive into another version of the Bible her mother gave her and experience it in a fresh way in this season in her life. The word of God is so powerful and amazing and it is ever present, alive and active like a double edge sword that cuts through joints and marrow, soul and spirit, judges attitudes and thoughts of the heart (Heb 4:12). It lasts forever. Though Bibles may switch or change, the word stays powerfully the same.
Edit:
It so awesome, the day after I wrote this post my cousin and I stopped by Barnes and Noble and I received a new Bible! Praise Jesus! It's a beautiful canvas/burlap covered bible and it's the NRSV Green Bible!!! Yay!
The first few months in Korea, I would use my laptop to look up scripture passages on biblegateway.com or borrow a used or lost Bible from the church when I needed one, until I started working for the church I was attending. When I was working on staff as a communications coordinator/admin staff, the executive pastor had given me a Bible that had been around for a while. It was a nice camel color leather bound Bible and somewhat used looking, but I liked it.
There is something about a book that has been worn (especially a Bible) that speaks to me, knowing that the owner had cherished it, running through the pages over and over again. The "gold" outer trim of the pages were faded and the although the cover didn't look beat up, it didn't look brand new and it had a softer flex to it. I used that Bible frequently in my times in Seoul. It, besides my keyboard and guitar, was my best friend when I had time at home. And although I only had it for a few years, that Bible had traveled with me to six countries, and close to 20 cities. In Kansas city, I especially made use of my 5 colors highlighters, since I was spending at least 20 hours a week in the Global Prayer Room, the scriptures started to jump off the pages as Holy Spirit would start to reveal amazing nuggets in the Word.
Fast-forwarding to the present, yesterday, I was in the library when I sat down at an empty round table with three books I found from perusing the shelves. There was a young man (maybe 18-20 years old), standing at a window near the table I just occupied. He seemed a little nervous, looking out the window, then sitting at an armchair next to the window (and near my table) and standing back up as if he was waiting for someone. I wasn't sure if this young man was left at the library and he was waiting for his ride back, or had no place to go. I started to pull a couple items from my backpack. I had brought my laptop but felt like taking out my journal and my bible.
As I did so, the young man was observing me, "Is that a Bible?"
"Yes." I replied back.
Again he addressed me, "Is it in Spanish?"
I was a little confused by the questions since I don't think I look like I'm from Latino origins and the young man also didn't look Latino.
"No, it's in English."
He then said, "Oh."
I asked him with a smile, "Do you own a Bible?"
and he replied back, "No." and continued in his nervous routine.
I continued to journal, a little puzzled about our conversation. I didn't know what to think of it. He recognized a Bible, but the rest of the conversation didn't make sense. After about 20 minutes of journaling, I kept getting the prompting to ask him if he wanted a Bible. After a few more minutes I got the courage to ask,
"Excuse me, excuse me." He looked up from what was his slumped armchair position.
"Would you like a Bible?" He then nodded assuredly.
I started taking out all the notes, bookmarks, cards and other little things I keep in my Bible for encouragement, in the meantime explaining to him that my Bible isn't the newest and I have highlighted notes in it.
"You can have mine."
After emptying it, he took it and sat down immediately turning to the New Testament. It looked like he knew exactly where he wanted to read. I could only see from a distance that the page he turned to, that all the words were in red, so I knew he was in the gospels. He turned a little away from me, so that his back was facing me. And I continued journaling for a while. Maybe 20 minutes later, I heard a soft. "Thank you." I looked up and the young man was speaking to me, as if he just remembered that he didn't say anything to me before.
I can't remember if I said "You're welcome." or if I just nodded. I went back to writing and he again said, "Thank you." Again, I can't remember my response, but I continued back to journaling. I was wondering and asking the Holy Spirit if I needed to pray for him, ask him if he understood what he was reading or if I needed to talk to him outside of the library, but I didn't get any prompting one way or another.
I noticed the young man reading the Bible for a while and then he got up, came back and fell asleep in the armchair. A librarian had come up and approach the young sleeping man, attempting to wake him up but left unsuccessful. I then decided to write him a word of encouragement on the note. After I was finished I noticed there were more people in the library. I would wait til the man woke up or when people would clear out to give him the note. He continued to sleep and sleep. I browsed through the three books I earlier grabbed from the shelves, but the young man continue to sleep like he hadn't slept for days. The area did clear out of most of the patrons and I packed my things and wanted to slip the note into the Bible I had given him. I thought it would have been next to him, near the side of the armchair, but I soon realized that he was holding onto it with his hands, on his lap, as his head hung to the side of the chair. I carefully slipped the note into the Bible and walked out.
I can hardly process what had happened but was very grateful. For a long time I knew I would give this Bible away, but I didn't know who, when, or where. I had grown attached to it and at times wondered and almost regretted not trying to give it away in some foreign country, but I had never had a clearer prompting to give it away than yesterday...to this young man. I prayed that the note would deeply encourage him and that the Holy Spirit would start revealing the truth of the reality and presence of Jesus in this young man's life and that he wouldn't be the same again. I trust that God will be moving in mighty ways, not necessarily because of what I did, but because I obeyed and took part in what God is doing.
When I got in the house, I told my cousin and she later passed on a Bible that was passed onto her. She felt that as she did so, she is able to dive into another version of the Bible her mother gave her and experience it in a fresh way in this season in her life. The word of God is so powerful and amazing and it is ever present, alive and active like a double edge sword that cuts through joints and marrow, soul and spirit, judges attitudes and thoughts of the heart (Heb 4:12). It lasts forever. Though Bibles may switch or change, the word stays powerfully the same.
Edit:
It so awesome, the day after I wrote this post my cousin and I stopped by Barnes and Noble and I received a new Bible! Praise Jesus! It's a beautiful canvas/burlap covered bible and it's the NRSV Green Bible!!! Yay!
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