How much do you love your Bible??

 This picture represents all the Bibles in the upstairs portion of our house. There are 12 Bibles here and I didn't even go downstairs to where our bookshelf is, which I'm sure contains at least 12 more. This does not include any of my daughters' Bibles as they are away at school and my husband has several at his office, in his truck and in my van as well. I estimate the five of us own at least 40 Bibles!! We have them in every translation, from New King James to the Message, we even own at least two Greek New Testaments!! As you can see from this picture some are well loved and others seem brand new.

Now, I know not every family has as big of a Bible obsession as we do, but in America the average family owns at least 6. Did you know there are countries where owning even just one Bible is illegal? I found a list of 51 countries, this includes China, Indonesia, Libya, Iran and Iraq.

What would we go through to get God's word if we lived in one of these countries? There is a story told in On This Day by Robert J. Morgan of three men who came to know Christ and wanted to bring His word into Korea. This was in the 1800s and the Gospel was illegal back then, so by trying to take God's word across the border they were risking their very lives. The first two men were executed when the Bible was discovered on them. The third man devised a plan to get God's word into his country. He carefully tore out each page of his Bible and folded them into long strips. He then wove those strips into a rope which he tied to his pack. He made it across the border easily. Once across he carefully unwove his "rope" and put the pages back together to make his Bible whole again. He then spread God's news across Korea.

Can you imagine going to those lengths for God's word? It got me thinking, which is something I do a lot. How thankful am I for all those Bibles in my home? How often do I sit down and read it and meditate on it. Currently I am reading through the Old Testament, I am now in Leviticus, and it is slow going at times. If I had the right attitude I would be drinking up even that one book, because it is the inspired Word of God!! How often do I skip a day, or two or ten of reading my Bible? While at the same time there are men and women in this world risking their lives just to have one Bible to share. How greedy of me, to waste the freedoms we have here and skip out on God's word. Why? Because it may be "boring" or I slept in too late, or I'm just too busy?

God's word is precious, God's word is true, God's word is living and 
active, sharper than any two-edged sword.

For the word of God is alive 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 4:12

Many years ago when we lived in South Dakota there were some kids in our church who did a special number for Sunday night church. The song they sang has stuck with me ever since, "I Like the Bible". I can still hear those little voices screaming this song, so all could hear. I don't have a copy from that night but here is some kids performing that song. We need to love our Bible and read and do it...EVERYDAY!