An "Ouch" Moment

This past week we began two pretty intense Bible studies -- Beth Moore's "Breaking Free" and a VBI course on The Kingdom of God. Each one of them has had a lot of homework that involved chapters and chapters of reading various books in the Bible.

It was exhausting, and if you were here in the house, you may or may not have heard snippets of “Wow, this is a lot!” or “I’m tired of reading the Bible!”

This morning we sat down to do one of the studies and Diana asked, “So, how many of you were tired of all the reading?”

It was pretty unanimous. And then she said, “I was too, but then God convicted me. And I just want to read something to you.”

She pulled out a piece of paper and said, “Here is a list of the 52 countries where it is illegal to have a Bible in your possession,” and began to read name after name.

I was in tears by the time she was done. Millions of my fellow brothers and sisters are longing for a chance to read any word from a Bible… some risking their lives to own something that I have two of down here in Costa Rica, and several more packed away in New Hampshire. And I had been complaining about doing something that to them is inconceivable.

Sometimes I get so ashamed of how “first world” I have become. And then I remember that my feeling shame isn’t going to change anything. However, applying Hebrews 13:3 to “remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them” and praying for those who don’t have the freedom to read the Bible WILL make a difference.

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