The Book For Me

What if…you had no Bible. Take a moment and imagine the desert of your soul without the streams of living water. How would your life be different? At what lengths would you go to obtain your own copy or to simply hear it read? We have recently come to once again appreciate the treasure we have in our hands while reading God’s Smuggler. It’s the story of Andrew van der Bijl. “Brother Andrew” as he is commonly known took Bibles to persecuted Christians behind the Iron Curtain. Here are a couple of powerful excerpts from the book:

“I lifted the top and took out a Bible. I put it in the trembling hands of Petroff, and another into the hands of his wife…Petroff closed his eyes. His mouth was working hard to control the emotion he was feeling. But two tears rolled slowly out from between his closed lids and fell on the volume in his hands.”

He goes on to tell of how he and Petroff bring a Bible to a secret meeting. “Petroff…jumped up and, with a flourish, unwrapped the package he had brought with him and held up …a Bible! There were exclamations that threatened to be too loud before those assembled caught themselves and put hands to mouths. Then there were great bear hugs from the men, and warm foreheads-on-shoulders from the women, before they passed the Book from one hand to another, tenderly opening it and closing it again.”

Some random thoughts:

* Which is worse - not having a Bible and treasuring it or being over run with Bibles and feeling ho hum about it?
* Maybe, just maybe there is a link between our being in Mexico and getting the Scripture into the hands of those who have the religion of Christ but not the truth of Christ.
* Would God have a free hand in a meeting that was solely for Scripture reading and prayer?
* “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 12:4