“Dude! We are going to miss you but you will always have us as your friends. Here, we got you a gift.”
When I left my internship program in Colorado to transfer to my residency program in Southern California, some of my fellow residents gifted me with a Bible. I was overwhelmed by their thoughtfulness. None of them were Christians or particularly religious but they wanted to present me with a gift that they knew I would appreciate. They were absolutely correct. I still have and cherish that Bible, as I do every Bible I own.
There have been several times in my life when I have been gifted with Bibles. Pastors and family members have contributed, sometimes writing a personal message on this inside cover. Although I primarily use an online version of the Bible, all of my print Bibles occupy a prominent space on my desk at home. There is something viscerally satisfying to turn the pages of a Bible and when I pick up a Bible that was gifted to me, I fondly remember the giver and their gift.
Now I am privileged to do the same for a long time employee. After working for me for eight years, he recently gave notice that he would be leaving. While we celebrated his last day with breakfast, I wanted him to know his special place in my life and my company. This employee was a brother in Jesus Christ and I immediately knew what gift to give him. When I presented him with a Bible, I briefly recounted the significance of Bibles that had been gifted to me through the years. I told him that someday, I hope he will do the same for another person.
Your word is completely pure, and your servant loves it.
Psalms 119:140 (CSB)
In spite of cultural trends, shifting moral standards, and the introduction of the internet and online books, the Bible remains the best selling book of all time. Why? The answers to all of the profound issues of life that continue to confront all of us are found here. If it were not the Word of God, written by men through the illumination of God’s Holy Spirit, it would be just another work of literature. When we read it, we should always remember the Giver and His Gift!
The Bible. It is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
Praise God!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
The Bereans Blog 