I recently received an invitation to a baby shower.
The invitation contained the following sentiment.
“A card is nice
but read only once or twice.
A book is a
treasure that lasts forever.
So please place
your wishes inside a book
and we will think
of you each time we take a look.”
I
have seen and received variations of this message for other showers. The sentiment
is great! Instead of signing your name to a card that will only be thrown away,
giving a book that can be reread again and again is priceless. Being read to
and later reading on your own has been linked to greatness. Presidents,
scientists and many other people who were successful in their fields often
share a heritage that included a great amount of reading.
We have
been given a great gift of salvation by Almighty God. With that gift, God did
not choose to give us a card with only one wish or encouragement. Rather He
gave us a book that we can read over and over again. The Bible is the love
story that is full of God’s heart and desire for a life. It is not full of wishes
only, but it contains the very promises of the author Himself.
When
we receive the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to pay our debt of sin, we are born
again into a brand new spiritual being. “Therefore if any person is
[ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature
altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away.
Behold, the fresh and new has
come!” (2
Corinthians 5:17AMP) Jesus rescued us from spiritual death and gave us eternal life. “For God so
greatly loved and dearly prized
the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that
whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish
(come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (John 3:16 AMP)
When we are newborn babies in
Christ, we may not be able to understand all the writings in the book God has
given us. We will often be read to and taught by others who have walked with
the Lord for a while. Interestingly enough, Christians are called to be
imitators of God. “Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow
His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” (Ephesians 5:1 AMP) As imitators of God we
can portray a picture of Christ. We are like the picture book that so often
enthralls a baby.
God provides not only mature
believers to help us understand his book. He has given us his Holy Spirit as
our constant source of help. “But the
Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby),
the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to
represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will
cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything
I have told you.” (John 14:26 AMP) Throughout
our lives we will walk with the greatest teacher Who is more than willing to
explain the word of God to us.
As
I prepare my shower gift for the little boy that will soon enter our world, I
have selected several board books and a waterproof tub book. These contain
stories of animals and cars to inspire the dreams of a tiny young man. God
likewise had us in mind when He inspired the earthly authors He chose to write
down His word. The contents of the Scripture were written to inspire dreams,
instruct in righteousness and lead us to a full knowledge of our loving,
heavenly Father. It will prepare us for everything that God has planned for the
life ahead of us. “Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration)
and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and]
for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in
thought, purpose, and action), so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every
good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 AMP)
Spend
some time in the book that God has given you. He has given us all life and
included a book that truly will be read forever and ever.
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