Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. 1 Samuel 15:1
In our bedroom is a bookshelf full of different-sized Bibles: my first one, my husband’s for good attendance at Sunday school, Grandmother’s well-worn volume, various translations. Most are old but clean, and the pages make a crinkle sound when turned.
Though each is special, the one I now use is the first I’ve ever had that feels like my very own personal Bible. Why? For two simple reasons: I write in it–and I carry it around with me. It has become a close friend.
I remember exactly when I started marking in my new Bible. It was in a Bible study class. On the first day, the leader suggested that we underline meaningful Scriptures and make notations of our responses to the passages, adding dates for future reference.
Somehow it sounded sacrilegious. But as I saw others around me doing it, I carefully began to underline a few passages here and there. I felt self-conscious at first, but slowly the habit developed.
Today, my Bible is filled with marks and scribbles that are meaningful only to me. The cover has grown dog-eared, some pages are loose, and I know I will have to get a new Bible soon. But when I put this one on the shelf next to all the others, it will be special because it is my own spiritual diary, a measuring stick of my steps of growing faith.
Heavenly Father, let me not be afraid to make my Bible personal and alive so that Your Word will grow precious to me through the years.
