I'm Moving

I've known for awhile that it was time to move.  My current Bible has been with me the last 5 years or so.  The maps fell out years ago, followed closely by the table of contents and concordances.  Genesis is holding on by threads of Scotch tape.

This precious Bible has been with me over the last years and become a huge part of who I am.  I have literally spent hundreds and hundreds of hours reading the pages of this sacred book.  Truths as vast as the ocean.  Love deeper than the ocean.

Always alive.  Always speaking.

Words rising with healing in their wings.

Yesterday morning, as I spent some time reading and praying something dawned on me.  I realized that in my need of a new Bible I haven't actually asked God to provide one for me.  There were a couple specific things my heart was hoping for when I would think of having to move.  So, I prayed.  I prayed out loud, "God, you know my need for a new Bible.  Lord, I could go out and buy a Bible, but it would mean so much to me if it was given to me by someone special in my life.  Not just something I bought with extra cash, but something you provided.  That would make it so personal knowing it came from your hand and your abundance.  Thank you Lord, Amen."

Our teaching pastor had loaned me one of his Bibles. It is a new version and he let me borrow it to check it out.  Yesterday when I got to church, I put his Bible back on his desk with a small note thanking him for letting me borrow it.  After church he came up to me with the Bible in his hand and said, "You know, if you like this Bible you can have it.  I have several more like it..." and he handed it to me.  My jaw hit the floor.  I couldn't believe it.  It is the nicest, most fantastic Bible.  It is genuine leather, I've always read out of Bonded Leather (that makes me laugh for some reason!).  It has study notes coming out its ears.  It is the Caddy of Bibles.  He did not even know how specifically I had prayed just hours earlier.

As we were getting ready to leave, our pastor stopped by the youth room where we were closing up and said, "Now, it won't hurt my feelings if you don't want this Bible, or want it in another color or something, but you're welcome to keep it for a couple more weeks if you're not sure."  Then I told Ken about my prayer hours earlier.  How I asked God if he would provide a Bible for me.  How I asked God if it would be a Bible with significance and meaning. I told Ken if he was sure he didn't need it it would mean the world to me to have that Bible. 

It would be so meaningful because I have spent hours under Ken's teaching and the depth of understanding the Holy Spirit has used through his teaching to help me understand these pages has opened my eyes to new truths many, many times.

I cannot tell you how amazed I am at the lavish provision of God by providing me with a new Bible.  As I opened it to read this morning it felt like a new house.  I'm not sure where things are.  It is unfamiliar territory.  The language is different from what I've studied from the last 21 years.  It is vivid.  It is filled to the brim with newness.  I cannot wait to start unpacking the truths and making them my own.