A New Release
My sister hurried to the bookstore the morning it came on sale to pick up our two precious copies
Reference: v.3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: The day seemed to take forever to arrive, but with much anticipation it came! My sister and I were so excited that the next book in a series of one of our favourite authors was finally being released. My sister had booked two copies ahead of time, and she hurried to the bookstore the morning it came on sale to pick up our two precious copies. We had locked the whole day out, and upon her return, we sat across from each other the whole day devouring the books. Due to its length we had not completed our read before evening, and had to tear ourselves away just to go to a social event we were expected at. And yet all we wanted to do was stay on our couches flipping over the pages and discovering the next step of the journey.
Application: Nehemiah 8 tells us about the Israelites who, after rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, stood for half a day just to listen to the word of God (the first five books of our Old Testament). I thought that this was amazing as there are few people in our world who would go to such extremes for a book that is so easily accessible. And yet, to the Israelites back then, this book of Wisdom was as rare as the newly released book my sister and I read. It’s a shame that we have become so complacent with the Bible these days, due to its accessibility, that we don’t give it the attention it deserves. A high percentage of people own a Bible, but it’s only collecting dust on a book shelf. Thousands of people have downloaded the Bible app on their phones, but how often is it opened and read? It is so wonderful to have the Bible and many commentaries available at the click of a couple of keys, but let us not get complacent and forget its importance.
Prayer: Lord, Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Thank you for the wisdom you give to us through it. Amen.
The fact that you’ve read this blog means that you are exploring the Bible in some way. What can you do to encourage another believer to open the Bible more regularly?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.