Treasured,
Well-Worn Bible
By Karen D’Amore
“Your promise has
been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly.”
Psalm
119:140 (The Message)
One
of my treasured Bibles is show-cased and shelved…too fragile for daily
use. Detached pages fall loosely from the cracked and worn binder; a
strong leather cover is now necessary to hold the book intact. Periodically, my
fingers take a reflective journey through the tattered and torn, colorfully-inscribed
pages. Every wrinkled corner marks a moment where I paused to meet with God.
Margin notes glean sermon notes, lessons learned, fulfilled prayers and pivotal
dates. The variegation of colors highlight and segregate heart-provoking
spiritual truths. And on those pages where tear-stained ink blurs the inscribed
words, I pause to recall the circumstances behind those tears.
The
well-worn pages of my treasured Bible reflect “my” story. Purchased in 1989,
weeks after a drunk driver nearly ended my life, “this” Bible denotes the
beginning of my new life in Christ. Drawn back into a deep personal
relationship with Jesus, this Bible became my lifeline to Him. Physically
battered and broken from the accident, I was forced by repetitive surgeries to
remain sedentary for nearly a year. During that time, my treasured Bible never
left my side.
Through
every step of pain…cry for comfort…longing for assurance…quest for wisdom…need
for direction and exercise of faith…God met me in the pages of that Bible. And
just as a strong leather cover now holds my tattered Bible intact, God became
the strong-arm that held my life together.
Every
time I tiptoe through the frail pages of my treasured Bible, I resonate with
the words of Charles Spurgeon: “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to
someone who isn’t.” (1) Literally falling
apart at the seams, my well-worn Bible portrays the transformational journey of
my life; a life that was frayed and falling apart…but rescued and held
together by our Savior.
My
treasured, well-worn Bible has been in my life for twenty-four years. Reflecting
the priceless love story between me and Jesus, page after page speaks of His
grace, mercy and faithfulness. Today, this Bible remains one of my greatest
sources of encouragement. Worn out from excessive use, it draws me to recall
those countless hours spent meeting with, and learning about, my precious Lord.
In
the busyness of life, consistent time in The Word often gets “shelved.” Personal
experience has taught me that in those times of isolation and separation from
God...life seems to fall apart. Displaying personally-inscribed remnants of my
faith-journey, my treasured, well-worn Bible inspires me to wear out my current
Bible faithfully, dependently and continually.
So…what’s
falling apart…your Bible or your life?!
GOING DEEPER:
1.
What story does your Bible tell about your
life?
FURTHER READING:
(1) http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/397346-a-bible-that-s-falling-apart-usually-belongs-to-someone-who
A
retired police officer, Karen is a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and a Footcare
Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s on the Oakwood Women’s Special
Events team, co-leads a Wednesday Night Community group, and is married to Dan.
