DEVOTIONAL STORIES
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I worked at a Christian thrift store, and one of the loveliest parts of my job was being able to give away Bibles. One day I was looking through one of the pocket-sized Bibles that had come into our store as a donation, and I noticed it was a Bible that, once upon a time, had been given as a gift by Gideon International. For more than 100 years, this group of Christian business and professional men have been giving Bibles away across the world, spreading God's love in a most beautiful way, and this copy had been passed on to our store for someone else to use. As I was thumbing through its tiny pages, I remembered getting my own Bible from the Gideons as a child in elementary school. I treasured that little pocket-sized New Testament, and quickly wrote my name in the front of it. It was personal. It was mine. Glancing through the little Bible with the orange cover that had come into the store, I noticed something for the first time. After the picture of the United States flag and the description of the Gideon association, there was a description of the Bible. A creed of sorts, it was a moving and fitting description of what the Gideons hold as the truth about God's Word. It read, “The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you." “It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed." “Christ is the grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end." “It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents." Let it fill my memory, rule my heart, and guide my feet.  Talk about eloquent! It had left nothing unsaid and no stone unturned about the truth and the beauty of the Bible. And I was moved, renewed, and convicted about how important it is to be moved, renewed, and convicted by what it says. I've been known to hold my Bible closely or lay my head on it as a show of my adoration of it, my thankfulness for it, and my peace because of it. No other book has its power or its truth, and I'm beyond grateful. Thank You, Father, for Your Word. Let it fill my memory, rule my heart, and guide my feet. It is personal. It is mine. It is precious to me. Amen. ©2015 Wendi Miller Information taken from:: The Gideons International, Nashville, TN Find Source Information KEEP READING
Tina Pickett
1/9/2015 12:47:44 am
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Comments are closed.
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