Respect. Gratefulness. Awe.

Last Saturday I took my Dad to the Azuza Pacific Dead Sea Scrolls and beyond exhibit, as his Father's day present. First off, let's just say the Dead Sea Scroll part was lack luster. There were 5 small pieces, and by pieces I mean the size of my thumb. I think it should have been called treasures of Bible history and 5 little unreadable pieces of Dead Sea Scrolls, because the most amazing awe inspiring part of the exhibit wasn't the Dead Sea Scrolls. Now what the Dead Sea scrolls stand for; the archaeological proof of how well preserved every word of Scripture has been through the ages is amazing and reassuring, and gratifying. However the rest of the exhibit humbled me and left me wishing I had more words to say that day, but my brain was too busy muling it all over.

There were examples of the first Bibles written, old hymnals, etc. And as I studied how intricately each one was designed and hand written with such meticulousness, with such beauty I was floored. Every Bible I have ever owned was printed, with marginal notes from fantastic thinkers, philosophers and amazing Christians who have already gone to meet their Savior. And the only reason I am able to have this is because of the life and time consuming passion for God's word those before me had.

If I go to, let's say Amazon.com and search "Bible" wanna know how many choices I have? 275,025. And that's just on ONE website. I can go to Target, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Family Christian Bookstore, Life Way Christian store, etc, etc, etc and pick up one of many Bibles, in different translations, with different commentaries, font sizes, really the possibilities are endless. They even have Chronological Bibles (and man oh man do I want one!!). But back then, to have a Bible meant someone spend countless hours handwriting every chapter of every book, and left room for elaborate drawings to illustrate the stories being lovingly retold in it. Churches had Bibles, the people did not. After all they cost a pretty penny with some much work going into each one. In fact having a Bible was a treasure, not a common place thing.

Then the exhibit got into the translations of the Bible, and that's when my list of who I want to talk to in Heaven, and soak up their life experiences and the faithfulness of God grew quite a bit.
. Wylcife risked his life to translate the Bible into English, so that more and more common people could hear and know and soak in the Word of God. And he didn't just use Latin texts to translate, he went back to the original Hebrew and Greek texts and translated them directly into English. What an amazing feat, what a work! Wyclife lived out Ephesians 2:10 for sure. And what kind of earthly honor did he receive? None. His rewards were reserved for heaven.

Then I came across Tyndale ( there were others talked about, key people I am skipping over, like Luther and Calvin,but these 2 men really stuck out in my head.)
How was he rewarded for trying to bring an English Bible to England?

He was executed for trying to bring God's word to the people. But he did it anyway. He didn't give up, he didn't give in, and in the end he prayed for the king. What an example. What a man of faith. His biography is next on my list of things to read.

Then there were more examples of people translating the Bible into their own languages, treasures troves of Bibles with hand written notes, (my favorite kind of Bible). I really wish I spoke German so that I could read Luther's own notes in his Bible. How amazing would that be, to see the way the Spirit touched his heart with each individual scripture? Wow.

Then it came to the Bible in the America's, the new world. And there were Bibles in different native American dialects and I wanted to cry. We all know the horrific things done to Native Americans by the European settlers, some of them in "the name of God". Taming the "savages". Even though we were the savage ones.

But there were some men, who really came only to teach them the love of a Savior.




What a history my Bible has. What a great number of people who's faith in God was not hindered or shattered by the obstacles they faced in doing the work He gave them. What a great testimony that my God is the same today as He was then and will always be; Forever and ever, amen.