"Lighting the Fire"
Jotting – Week 17

Give the Word

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” ( Mark 16:15).

Memorizing Bible verses has long been a part of our Sunday, weekday, VBS, and Christian day schools. Some years back a controversy arose debating whether memorizing Scripture was necessary or if it brought about the desired objectives.

I don’t recall how that deliberation was resolved, but I do know what God’s Word says. When we have God’s Word hidden in our hearts, the Holy Spirit uses the Word to keep us from giving into temptation, to comfort and convict, to bring us to repentance, to give us the peace that only comes through Jesus. Jesus Himself used Bible passages to put down Satan in the wilderness (see Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-14). And how many of us, when fearful, in danger or sorrow, heavily weighed down with guilt, in need of comfort or forgiveness, have not recalled a verse or portion from God’s Word that brought relief or direction or assurance.

And how much stronger a witness we have when giving a testimony to friends or speaking to those in need of prayer, when we include a message directly from the Bible. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Giving away the Word that dwells in our hearts can give others hope and power and a reason to rejoice. So hide the Word in your heart that the Spirit may use you to bring blessings to others.

Giving the Word away can also be done quite literally.

Two years ago, I was teaching first grade in a Lutheran school. I made it a practice to carry my personal Bible with me into chapel. Almost every week, I used my Bible to look up the passage referenced by the speaker. And almost every week, one or two or three of the first graders would grab a pew Bible from the rack in front of them and pass it to me. “Will you find it for me?” I tried to comply, but very often, the speaker had moved on to his topic by the time I finished with the last Bible.

Then came one memorable Wednesday. The pastor that morning had chosen four or five Bible passages to read, and not only one or two or three, but 10 to 12 Bibles were thrust my way. When I went home that afternoon, I mentioned to my husband, “What those first graders need is their own Bible. Then I can find out what the passage is before chapel, we can look it up and mark it beforehand, and they will be ready to turn to it at the right time.” Within a short time, the idea had blossomed. We ordered some inexpensive Bibles, which arrived about a week later. Since Valentine’s Day was so close, the Bibles made an ideal “Valentine” to give to my students.

They couldn’t believe it. Their own Bibles! “I never had my own Bible before,” these six- and seven-year-olds told me. They spent free time looking through these precious books they were hardly able to read, but they made discoveries. “I found the New Testament.” “I found the book of Luke.” “I see the name of Jesus.” Wednesday morning came and it was with huge smiles that these young first graders carried their very own Bibles into chapel, the Bible passages marked with a small Valentine card. Every week after that, they carried them into church, going to the Bible passage at the time it was read and following along carefully. At the end of the school year, they were overjoyed to learn that they could keep their Bibles and take them home. The power of God’s Word was evident as these children found delight in it.

Around that same time, we had the privilege of attending a concert of the India Children’s Choir (http://www.biblesfortheworld.org/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=160). Not only did we hear them sing and witness their faith through song, but we heard the story of how the power of God's Word brought an entire headhunting tribe, located in northeast India, to become “heart-hunters.” It all started in 1910, when a missionary from Wales by the name of  Watkin Roberts sent the gospel of John to a Hmar tribal chief. The chief invited Roberts to come and explain the Scriptures. Even though the British Colonial rulers told him he could not go–and put a ban on such travel, Watkin Roberts followed the Spirit’s leading and went. There, as he explained the Gospel to them, five young tribesmen came to faith in Jesus. These new followers grew in faith and became leaders of a new and growing church. Within two generations, the entire tribe was evangelized. Today, it is estimated that 98 percent of the Hmar are Christians. They have established churches, schools, and a seminary. The children of the choir are descendants of the first converts.

Through the efforts of Dr. Rochunga Pudaite (son of one of the original believers who, by the way, memorized the entire book of John–he could not read) and his wife Mawii, this tribe is the driving force behind Bibles For The World's "Billion Bible Campaign" (http://www.biblesfortheworld.org/)–an ambitious effort to reach every family on earth with the Bible in the next 10 years. To date, 16 million Bibles have been mailed .

 Well, Lou and I decided that while we could donate money to this campaign, we could also get more personally involved. Since the gospel of John had such a powerful effect on one corner of India, we felt this Scripture portion could become our “give-aways.” Thus, we ordered a case (300) Gospel of John Bible portions to give away in our neighborhood, to people we met, and placing them wherever we are moved to do so. Inside each booklet is a sticker with pertinent passages to read as well as contact information: an email address in case there are questions.

In the last two years, we have given the gospel of John to waiters and waitresses, toll booth keepers, store clerks, bank tellers, museum attendants, fellow airline passengers, and more. While many people accept it with just a “thanks,” one waitress told us, “This is the best tip I’ve ever gotten.” Another person took the idea back to his own church. Still another saw us later and said she was reading it. Several churches have chosen to do adopt “Sowing the Word” as an ongoing project. They have baskets of the gospel portions in their gathering areas, where people can pick up several each week to give away as they go about their daily schedules. They can drop a few coins or a dollar in the container to help purchase more. These Scripture portions cost approximately 30 cents apiece when ordered in bulk, available from the International Bible Society: http://www.ibsdirect.com/c-3-portions.aspx .

Another church, for the third year, is including these Scripture portions in doorknob hangers to be distributed in the community surrounding the church the Saturday before Palm Sunday. This year, 10,000 packets, which also have an invitation to Easter worship services, will be given out.

We most likely will never know the impact all those Scriptures will have on people, but we do know this: God says, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). So we, like the sower from Jesus parable in Luke 8, will continue to scatter the “Seed,” the Word of God, and pray the Spirit will work on the hearts of those whose lives it touches.

How many lives will you touch this week with the Word?

Pray: Dear Lord Jesus, You came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. That promise was for every generation, for those yet unborn, for those who still wait to hear the words of salvation. Fill our mouths with Your praise. Let Your Spirit move our hearts and our lips to declare to all we see and know the story of Your love through Your suffering, death and resurrection. You want all people to be saved. Help us give away the Word to make that happen. In Your name we pray. Amen.