It’s been over a year since our house flooded from frozen water pipes that burst. That led to a moving and storage company boxing up everything in our home…and I mean everything…and carting it off for over six months. And it has now been over six months since the boxes containing almost everything we owned were returned. We quickly attacked the boxes, and soon learned that not every box was labeled properly. In many cases we could figure out what went in the kitchen and what went in our closet. But there were lots of boxes that we didn’t know if they contained treasure or trash. Good stuff or giveaway.

After we got most of the main items needed for day-to-day living, we stopped opening boxes. I think we lost our drive to do it. So, our garage has a bunch of them in it…just waiting. Well, I decided the wait is over. We have a few key items we want to find, but mostly we want to get rid of the boxes and return the garage to its main purpose…housing our cars.

I opened a box this morning before heading off to the office. “Books,” said the label. That was partly true. There were some other things in there. But there were books. A quick look and I saw that some of these books were water stained. They were in my home office bookcases where water flowed down from the attic and those busted pipes. Thankfully, they weren’t in too bad of shape.

As I lifted one book, I saw a rather small black leather one in that box. I recognized it quickly as a Bible. And not just any Bible. There was writing on the inside cover and the date 12-25-63. A Christmas gift from my mom when I was 18 years old.

Dear Ronnie,

It gives me great satisfaction to give you this Bible, for your faithful study of God’s Word has always pleased me….

She went on to say a few other things, then signed it…

Love, Mother

As I continue looking through this box later today, I may find trash. But this…this definitely is a treasure. I’m glad to say it is worn around the edges. I did put it to use. I’m not one who marks up my Bibles, but as I thumbed through this Bible, I did find some passages underlined. In the account of Jesus on the cross, the words “forgive them” are underscored. It must have impacted me that while my Savior hung in agony on the cross, He still was forgiving those around him, including a thief who was hanging next to him. Another underline is where the thief cried, “Lord, remember me.” And Jesus did.

Let me see if there is some spiritual insight to learn from this bit of nostalgia.

  • There can be a treasure among the mundane, even among the trash. That might even apply to life… and to people the Lord brings into our path.
  • God’s Word should not just adorn your bookshelf or desktop. It should be read, studied, probed for wisdom from above. James reminds us that wisdom is available to all who seek it.

    If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

James 1:5 NLT

  • And thinking of Jesus at Calvary…even on your worst day, you can bless others. And you can forgive. Who knows, it might make an eternal difference in their life.

Now, I will tell you this particular Bible won’t get a lot more use. My 76-year-old eyes and this tiny print don’t work too well together. But it will serve as a reminder to me. A reminder of a loving family who knew what I needed most in my young life…God’s Truth. And a reminder that God’s Truth still works today. Remember the verse…

Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

Or as Eugene Peterson expressed it in The Message:

Point your kids in the right direction—

when they’re old they won’t be lost.

I think I’ll just underline that verse here in this Bible.

God’s best…