Vera Ate my Bible

Today I had the ultimate first-world problem...My Bible ribbon on my Vera Bradley Bible cover got stuck in the zipper! I literally could not get my Bible open! I couldn't get to the Word.

Now, I have numerous other copies of God's Word, but the one inside my purple cover is MY Bible. It's the one I use for devotion, for study and for church. I love my Bible. Not having the ability to get to it was frustrating.

In the middle of desperately trying to pry the pink ribbon from the grip of zipper teeth, it hit me that there are believers throughout our world who cannot get to God's Word. Their hindrances are far more serious than a Bible trapped inside a $28 Bible cover. Their hindrances are no Bibles in their language, copies that must be shared with numerous other believers, threats of prison, beatings, torture and death if they are found with a copy...Wow.

Their reality puts my "problem" in crystal clear perspective. These people fight fear and brave suffering just to have a portion of the Bible we often take for granted. I'm so very thankful God promises to be found by those who seek Him. Choosing to give in to my frustration this morning and walk into my day without the Word is not an option.


So, I took out another copy of God's Word and read these words from Jesus in John 17:7-17:


"Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.

For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

I pray for them.

I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You.

Holy Father, keep through Your name those whim You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name...

But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

They are not of this world, just as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."

So, how do we help persecuted believers, blocked from access to the Word?

We pray for them, like Jesus.

We read, study and teach our copy of the Word.

We let the Word set us apart from the World.

If God calls, we go to them and serve them however we can.

We remember them and call on others to pray for God's Word to spread and for God's people to be kept from the evil one.

There is a powerful new book out called The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken. Read it. It will change your heart.

Now, I'm going to find some pliers for Ms. Vera's teeth...