The Bible: Our Sacred Treasure?

If you know me by now, you know that the Bible is my sacred treasure. I could not imagine not having the Bible to get me through each day. But there are people all over the world who don't have access to God's Word.

A few days ago I was listening to our local Christian radio station and they were campaigning to raise money for the Bible League, an organization on a mission to send Bibles to Africa. The Bible League also sends Bibles to other third-world countries like Asia, South America and the Middle East. I have heard them raising money for this cause before, but this time I felt stirred in my spirit to contribute. I began to evaluate my own dire need for the Bible and I can't really think of a better cause to contribute! There are many great causes out there, but this one just reaches down into the depths of my soul's passion for God's Word. I am grateful beyond words' expression that God has gifted me with access to His Word. I have countless resources at my fingertips - from study Bibles to online resources, I seriously can't keep track of the unlimited access I have to God's Word all day, every day. And to think that these third-world countries don't even have access to a Bible? My heart breaks into a million pieces and I wish those million pieces could somehow turn into God's Word for these people to snatch up and dig into.

I can't remember where I heard this, but I think it was David Platt in his book Radical. When he visited China to teach God's Word and distribute Bibles, all the Chinese people wanted to do was pile into a tiny room with a single light bulb for illumination, and gather around God's Word, listening and soaking it up like a sponge. They were hungry for God and they knew they would be able to feast upon the only Bread of Life - the Word - Jesus Himself in the written Word of God! When I heard this I was brokenhearted because I have never heard of this happening here in America, nor have I ever been around a group of people who hungered and thirsted for God like this. You will find more people in America who want to stimulate their intellect with a theological debate/discussion than hunger and thirst after righteousness. And I know this saddens the Lord deeply. Do you love God's Word because of your passion and love for Jesus in saving your soul? Or do you prefer feeding your intellect? I challenge you to examine yourself in this area and repent for hungering after your own pride in knowing the Bible because you're "smart." Don't forget that the wisdom of the wise is foolishness to God. If you think you are wise - think again. God alone is wise. But if you ask God for His wisdom with a pure and humble heart, He will grant it to you freely (see James 1:5-8)!

As I read that story, I longed to find people here in America that love God's Word like this - that recognize the sacredness and treasure that is the Word of God. I know there are people who do, but it is rare to taste this in a group setting - at least where I am from. How about you? I feel that the church in America is ever growing to conform to the trends of the culture, instead of hunger for truth in God's Word. It has been a long time since I've heard a preacher tremble at God's Word because it contains the purest words of all - the words of Yahweh, the great I Am.

These kinds of stories stir my heart deeply, instilling a passion to be a missionary myself some day. I have sensed this desire for a little while, but it is hard to see that it will ever happen. I do hope in God and know that all of my heart's desires will be given to me by God because I delight in Him. I believe that with all of my heart! But I also believe that what I envision that to look like is most likely going to be carried out very differently. I realize that I do have my own mission field right here and now, but I desire to travel to third-world countries as well. I think I would feel more at home than I do here at home. I know that sounds strange, but one of the deepest passions of my heart is to participate in fellowship with like-minded people who love Jesus and want nothing but to feast on His Word together in one accord. I will donate to the Bible League and wait upon the Lord to see if He will have me travel to different countries in the future. For now, my mission field is my own back yard and I am okay with that.