Bible Sunday

 

It used to be that we kept all our books, the shelves became more and more crammed, we would buy extra shelving and then when there was no more wall space for shelves, we packed them in rows in double layers and stacked them on the floor.

I remember there even used to be a bit of trend for ‘coffee table books’, large well illustrated, glossy covered and impressive tomes often bought for their sheer pleasure as they were just so good to look at but perhaps not necessarily read.

 

Somehow it has become easier to part with them now, realising that we probably won’t get around to reading them again or even that we will read them at all, giving them to the church book stall or Oxfam and finding a sense of relief at the idea of more room but also wondering a little whether we might miss them, as though they were actually old friends.

One of the books that we all hold onto, though, are our Bibles, often handed down from generation to generation containing family trees. I even found my childhood piano lesson reports used as a book mark when I took the photograph for this blog; and oh, those lovely dedications written in bibles given at our christening or as a prize at school.

But far more importantly, and often in an up to date translation, we realise that this is the greatest book ever, containing the most wonderful story ever told - a message far too important to throw away.

Today we celebrate Bible Sunday  and give thanks to God for the gift of his word in poetry, prose and song, with its rich history, tradition and inspiration. We give thanks for its continuing impact on communities and individuals and above all the life changing salvation that it shows us.

 

Your word,
that lamp for our feet,
reveals to us
the stony ground
we often tread upon,
where, stumbling
in our weakness,
we reach out a hand
for you to hold,
asking simply
that you lead us
once again
to firmer ground,
toward that rock
upon which
our journeying began,
where, in safety
we can rest awhile.

John Birch Faith & Worship