Gifts of the Word

It's been a while since I've written about my Joy Dare, encouraged by Ann Voskamp, writer of 1000 Gifts.  I've been keeping track and am well over 700 now.  It's really opened my eyes about being thankful... today, on the way to work I heard the song "Should've Been" by Citizen Way and a line really hit me where it hurt... The song is talking about his wife, his kids, his family, his life, and he says, "If I'm so thankful, why do I easily forget that you died for all of this?"  How true is this...

We have so much to be thankful for, yet in the hustle and bustle of everyday life it's easy to get sidetracked.  It's easy to focus on what you don't have and forget what you do.  Easy to take for granted the person you love the most in the world, easy to think that you'll always have that moment, easy to get disgusted over all of the laundry you've got to do and forget that it's a blessing that at least you have clothes.

Today's dare was to find three gifts in the Word.  The more I read the Bible, the more I love  it, and I'm not just saying that.  I've always loved reading, but have never read the Bible through.  This year, I've soaked it up. I know it won't always be like that, and there are days that it is harder than others.  Like today... I'm reading in 1 Chronicles, and it's basically the genealogy of the Israelites as they are preparing to travel back to Jerusalem from Babylon... so it's so and so begot so and so and the names all run together.  The beauty of this, though, is that they are people.  They lived a story, which shows that life is a gift and that God is writing our story just as He wrote theirs. (And no, I didn't list it as one of my gifts of the Word.  I didn't get that much out of it... grin).

My first was a verse from 1 Peter, 1:8... You love Him even though you don't see Him.  How beautiful is that?  I love Wallace... really love him, and am just realizing how much.  I love him because I see him every day... because we talk and communicate and share things. This love can't compare to my love for Christ... and I've never laid eyes on Him.  Can't even imagine how I'll feel when I do.  He is the culmination of our faith, that we can believe that we live because of Him even though how we do so is a mystery even the angels wonder about...

My second was a verse from Psalm 111- I heard a sermon preached on it this weekend.  The wondrous works of God, and His abundant love and mercy... may I never forget it.  May I never take it for granted.  May I never stop being overcome by it.

And then, for my third verse, I played that whole open the Bible and see where it falls trick... and it opened to Luke 24. The greatest gift in the Word. the Word made flesh, risen and Alive... How fitting is that?

And tonight I went to Bible Study and listened as Brother Gary talked about the Word, and how faith is hearing the Word,and how having knowledge of the Word will keep us from being deceived.  Knowledge of this gift... may we always be thankful...