Sunday Reflection...

My granddaughter, Brooke, just graduated from the 5th grade, and will be entering middle school in the fall.

[Brooke's last day of 5th grade]

A while back she won a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble for taking first place in a school art competition.  Since she'll soon be 11 years old, and a middle school student, she decided she needed to replace her children's Bible with a more "grown-up" version.  So last week she and her dad went to Barnes and Noble to purchase her new Bible - A Women's Devotional Bible, NIV translation.  I'm so thankful she chose to use her gift card for a new Bible that will be "a lamp to her feet, and a light for her path." [Psalm 119: 105] 

I have a NIV [New International Version] Women's Devotional Bible too that I was gifted with in 2002.   Amazingly, the bonded leather cover came in the color, "Tea Rose."  ;-)

I well remember the words to the Sunday School chorus I learned as a child:

The B-I-B-L-E

Yes, that's the Book for me.

I'll read and pray, and then obey,

the B-I-B-L-E!

I digress... back to Brooke.  Her dad said they discussed her new Bible as they were leaving the store, and he asked her what was the most important part of getting a new Bible? She replied, "reading it."

A couple of days later as he was preparing for his Sunday morning sermon about the parable of the wise and foolish builder [Matthew 7: 24-27], he realized there was another step regarding Brooke's new Bible that wasn't mentioned.  A follow-up conversation ensued where he explained that it is indeed important to read God's Word, but it's even more important to obey what it says.

It's not enough to own a Bible; I have to read it.
It's not enough to read it; I must let it speak to me.
It's not enough to let it speak to me; I must believe it.
It's not enough to believe it I must live it.
                            ~ William A. Ward

B -  Basic

I -   Instructions
B -  Before
L -  Leaving 
E -  Earth

May God bless your week!