Thirty years ago I traveled as often and as far as I could afford. The topper shell on my '82 Toyota pickup provided my roof. The cooler and sleeping bag and were all the kitchen and bedroom I needed. Each year I'd recruit a sibling or cousin to tour the West with me for a couple of weeks and see something new, my wanderlust incurable and never disappointed.
These days, I traverse the globe via the internet. My own humble blog is visited from Australia and Sweden, Indonesia and South Africa, Germany, France and Italy. I intend to one day see such places, and especially Israel.
But I will never get close enough to the land of Jonathan and Peter, Mary of Bethany and Abigail.
My daughter says I was born two or three thousand years too late. She sees clearly that my heart resides in a land and time captured in the pages of Scripture—that I could step into that place without missing a beat.
Full well I know that the Lord lives in no one time, no one land. I comprehend that the Holy Spirit living within me brings me as close to Him as if I watched the Red Sea part, heard Jericho's walls fall, smelled the incense of temple worship, felt the earth shake beneath Calvary.
But like the woman who reached out a finger to grasp the fringe of our Lord's garment, I perceive in my soul that if I could but touch the people and events that stir my heart when I read Scripture, power would flow to me.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children …
~ Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NKJV)
Perhaps I think that if I read Scripture long enough, hard enough, I will—like Alice in Wonderland—break through some mysterious barrier and step into its pages, touch its God, and, perchance, form a direct link from Him to my children.
We read the Psalms (sometimes Proverbs) together each night before bed. We study Bible (currently Genesis) for homeschooling. We listen together as the pastor preaches on Sundays. I sometimes blog through a Bible book (recently finished John), and I'm currently doing another, non-chronological, read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year outline (just started Deuteronomy).
My incurable wanderlust always searches to see something new. Anticipation seizes me whether I crack open dog-eared pages or click open one of my computer Bibles. I am never disappointed, except by the distance.
And I pray that in some miraculous way, God will grant to me the privilege of bridging that distance. I pray for you and for me that we might be conveyed across the time and miles into Scripture.
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Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Beautifully written, Anne.
ReplyDelete"Perhaps I think that if I read Scripture long enough, hard enough, I will—like Alice in Wonderland—break through some mysterious barrier and step into its pages, touch its God, and, perchance, form a direct link from Him to my children." Got to me!
~ Wendy
Thank you, Wendy. This side of Heaven, it's hard to know how successful we've really been in entering the Kingdom of Wonder, in conveying others to it. Part of the other side's reward will be knowing.
DeleteYou're smiling face is a welcome sight today. My love to you!
A good friend of mine talked about reading the Word this way... You take all the words of the Bible and engrave them on a large wall of glass.
ReplyDelete- It looks pretty impressive from far away.
- Once you get closer, you see that there are words and that they tell a coherent story
- As you get close enough to read it you stand fascinated at the continuity of the plan of redemption
- You recognize your own need to be redeemed and accept what Yeshua has done on your behalf.
Do you stop here? NO! You walk closer
- Now you are so close that you can see that there are gaps between the letters.
- As you press your face against the glass a most amazing spectacle unfolds
- Now you can see into eternity. You can literally see the spiritual realm for yourself.
- At this point you are qualified to be His witness "to the ends of the earth", because you know the King and have seen the Kingdom for yourself.
i thought this was good.
~ Makala
Thank you, Makala, for sharing this. The amazing spectacle seen through that glass is seen but dimly for now. Yet it is so spectacular that even the limited view we have now is enough to pique our hope for eternity.
DeleteSuch deep and beautiful thinking... Love you!
ReplyDeleteI love you, too, Mary. Thanks for the "deep and beautiful" … :D
DeleteVery well written sis.
ReplyDeleteDenise, I pray that you are always blessed by your vistis. You continually bless me with them!
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