Father,

As I study Your Word, grant me wisdom…
As I go deeper in Its Message, increase my faith…
As I grow in knowledge, guard my ambition…
As I increase in confidence, remind me of Your Son’s humility…
As I hold on to Your statutes, ascertain my grasp…
As I listen to Your Spirit, keep me focused…
As I look unto Jesus, look upon me…

In Jesus’ precious name,

Amen.

http://www.prisoneralert.com

“May this second hand book enrich your first hand experience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as you continue to walk in His steps.”

One typical afternoon, I checked out Booksale (as I am always in the habit of doing), and I spotted, dusty among flashier paperbacks, a book featuring on its cover a depiction of Jesus’ face. It looked decent, but incongruous with its companions in the pile, all printed using acid-free paper, perhaps. At first glance, it was easy to tell that it has never been read, and though previously owned, it was never treasured, for though the edges have been yellowed by time, it didn’t bear the marks of one the contents of which had already been explored, savored or digested. It looked like it could use some wonderful times with the burning midnight oil, I thought.

When I picked it up, I discovered that I already have a copy of the book. It is “In His Steps” by Charles M. Sheldon, and the battlecry of the classic is “What would Jesus do?”

I sighed. “What do I do?” I asked myself. I already have the same title, and besides, I have picked up for that day about ten books on varied subjects, from romance to philosophy and C.S. Lewis to E.B. White. My shelf can withstand ten books at one time, but not my shoulder! Besides, I was running low on cash. One time, I bought fifteen (15) titles in one day, but on that particular instance, all I could psychologically afford was ten. It only had to be ten or I’d go crazy, for some reason or another.

I imagined a bag swollen with books, but more than that, it felt like a pity to leave a rare copy of the classic there. Believe it or not, it called to me. Without wasting any time, I carefully considered the contents of my basket — one book has to go. I randomly picked out one and gave the Jesus book its proper place in my basket, if not in my heart. I was humbled by the analogy — it’s a shame a lot of people can’t find a space for Jesus, and I was liable to be one of them.

What Jesus has done for my behalf is unquestionable: He died for me. He took the form of a servant and chose the way of the cross to save me. My eyes stared on the book with remorse. When I got home, I placed it alongside my collection of Jesus books. It has found a better place (no longer a manger), but it was never read.

I’ve been keeping it for months, and just this morning, I thought of giving it to my friend, Aljun, a kindhearted boy I met at Febias College of Bible. I see in him a lot of admirable qualities: he’s humble, he’s a passionate student of God’s word, and he never once utters an idle or careless word. I admire his God-given qualities, and I find myself blessed with his friendship.

My dedication will go like this:

“May this second hand book enrich your first hand experience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as you continue to walk in His steps.”

Tonight, this book will have a real owner, unless, he’s already got a copy.

During my first day at Febias, I misplaced my Bible. It was the worst thing that could happen to me. I loved that small, black Bible of mine. It is by Thomas Nelson, and tagged the “smallest Bible”. When I bought it, it had a magnifier. I have no need for the magnifier (not yet, anyway, my eyesight is still good). The Bible is enough for me (though a lot of oldies at church find the magnifier amazing). I believe that God’s words are always magnified to any sincere reader by the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to understand God’s Word.

The nice thing about my precious, little Bible is that I can carry it around wherever I go. It fits my smallest handbag. When I’m alone, in the bus, or walking in the park, I take it out, and feast on the words of God. I particularly chose the KJV because the words appeal to me, and I read them as I read poetry. When I was younger, I memorized verses from the Bible using KJV, so I was more comfortable with KJV.

You could just imagine how terrible it was to know one Thursday evening that upon cursory inspection of the contents of my bag, my precious, little Bible is not there? I frantically searched even in the smallest pockets of my Soptater if my little Bible managed to do a disappearing act, or perhaps become the subject of a miracle, replicating an event like that when voila, Naaman’s spots are gone!

My sister noticed the change in my demeanor, and immediately noted the fact that in a few weeks’ time, I bought three Bibles if only to satiate my craving for that little, beloved Bible of mine that was lost like sheep. The two, I eventually gave to my parents. They’re both KJV. One, an NIV, which I bought out of a whim, I kept.

I reported the loss to those who could order a spot search and recover, but of course, it’s not that easy. So when they did all that they can to help me, I rested my case and threw in the towel. I prayed to God to make it useful at least to the one who has it in his/her possession, but at the back of my mind, I was thinking, “Hmmph.”

Today, while waiting for my Intro to Missions class to start, somebody handed me a Bible that looked all too familiar. When at last, what was lost was identified and found, I cried … er, I forgot what I first said, but my classmate who was “tasked” to give it to me said he was a mere courier and upon seeing my reaction, his eyes started from their sockets — poor kid. Well, I missed my Bible, my smallest Bible, and if only I was more careful, I wouldn’t have lost it in the first place. But now that I have it, I will read it, YES, read it with a vengeance, and perhaps start with Sir Jerome’s or Pastor Nathan’s assignment.

P.S.
The magnifier is missing, some strips of paper where I wrote the names of people I shared the Gospel to, or people who requested for prayer are gone. I also noticed that its cover is a bit shabbier, like it was really read vigorously (by someone whose palms are always sweaty).
It’s not like I’ll find in a heartbeat the person who deprived me of my dominion over my Bible, but inside I found two pieces of paper, and it seems like I somehow have identified by sheer gut feel the prime suspect. The page was ripped from a notebook with green accents on its pages and the handwriting, yep, I can consult a handwriting expert from the PNP crime lab to take that specimen. Joke.

Pardon my excitement. My beloved Bible, welcome home!

(Toby Mac…)
Man I wanna tell ya’ll something, man.
Man I’m not gonna let these material thing’s, get in my way, ya’ll.
I’m trying to get somewhere.
I’m trying to get somewhere,
Thats real and pure and true and eternal.

Father God, I am clay in your hands,
Help me to stay that way through all life’s demands,
‘Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me,
And every little thing I make up my mind to be,
Like I’m gonna be a daddy whose in the mix,
And I’m gonna be a husband who stays legit,
And I pray that I’m an artist who rises above,
The road that is wide and filled with self love,
Everything that I see draws me,
Though it’s only in You that I can truly see that its a feast for the eyes- a low blow to purpose.
And I’m a little kid at a three ring circus.

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.

(Mr. Franklin, Step up to the mic sir)

The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it’s you,
But they don’t know that who you are is not what you do,
True, we get it twisted when we peak at the charts,
Yo before we part from the start,
Where’s your heart?
You a pimp, hustler?
Tell me what’s your title,
America has no more stars, now we call them idols,
You sit idle, While we teach prosperity,
The first thing to prosper should be inside of me.
We’re free…
Not because of 22’s on the range,
But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed,
Not the same, even though I made a fall,
Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I’m Paul.
(YEP!)

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
Don’t wanna walk away,
Don’t wanna walk away

How do I sense the tide that’s rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity,
How do I sense the tide that’s rising?
It’s hypnotizing me from living in light of eternity,
How do I sense the tide that’s rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity.

(Lord what we gon do,We’re relying on you,
all eyes are on you Lord,
all eyes are on you, all eyes are on you Jesus.)

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
(Don’t let me lose my soul, my soul.)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
(This is my honesty, Father, won’t you cover me.)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
(Don’t wanna walk away, and all those people say)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
(Don’t wanna lose, I don’t wanna lose my soul.)

Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world,
That fight for our love, and our passion,
As our eyes are open wide and on you.
Grant us the privilege of your world view,
And may your kingdom be, what wakes us up, and lays us down.

(Hallelujah, Don’t wanna lose our soul,
No, Don’t wanna lose my soul.)

Hey excuse me,
I’m looking or the after party,
Toby,
Haha, yeah, last door on the left, you’ll hear it.
Thanks,
No problem.

Don’t let me lose my soul, I never wanna walk away,
I don’t wanna lose my soul,
No, no, no.
Don’t let me, don’t let me, lose my soul,
I don’t wanna walk away,
Don’t let me walk away,
Na na na na no,
Don’t let me lose, my soul,
I’m never gonna walk away.

One of my favorite hymns. I can sing this forever. May it bless you.

Father,

I have no regrets whatsoever in following you.  Regret is a thing I would have delighted in had you not changed me to become who I am now.  I have no regrets for what I’ve lost, because in You, what I’ve found are far more thrilling and beautiful.  I have no fear about the future, and the ghosts of the past no longer haunt me, because you have given me a present — TODAY.  (Sorry Lord, that was a trite way to put it… indulge me, if You please).

I love You, Lord.

What is the fellowship of darkness with light?  Jesus shone a light to conquer the darkness of death after doing His Father’s will.  He did not tolerate the deeds of evil but He exposed their corrupt nature.  He stood His ground in this endeavor and though death was the ultimate cost, His hope was sure.

Today, I pray for God’s wisdom to shine a light wherever He takes me, and to do that, I pray for His sustaining grace to feed the passion, this burden, whatever the cost.

rvm

24 july 09