Ancient Bibles and Young Daughters

Last weekend I attended a retreat at Falls Creek.  At my very first opportunity I went to see a collection of ancient Bibles from the Green Collection, skipping my annual tradition of buying a retreat t-shirt first thing.  Ok, I sent money with a friend, but I would've skipped it!  The Green Collection is a privately owned collection of 30,000 Bible items (we got to see a small part of what they own) with a goal to eventually see an entire museum built around the story of the Bible.  How cool is it to see this amazing collection right there where we have youth summer camp?

As the curator of this collection began to tell us all the stories about these manuscripts and books I was astounded.  We saw cuneiform tablets, a fragment from the Dead Sea Scrolls, an Esther scroll, many ancient scrolls and Bibles centuries old; Wycliffe, Gutenberg, Tyndale, Coverdale Bibles, a Martin Luther New Testament, a 1st edition "He" King James Bible from 1611 and a "Wicked" Bible from 1631; as well as a Bible first legally printed in America in 1782 with a letter from Congress in the front granting permission for its printing and recommending its reading.  These are just a few I can remember. 

But one is my favorite; it is a Bible commissioned by a mother in Ethiopia in the 13th century.  For her daughter.  The expense would've likely been staggering, and the book unique.  Right before the curator moved on to the next item she noted the damage to the book, likely by rats (ick!) and reminded us that it was still beautiful.  Indeed.

I was both moved and shamed.  I am truly a Bible believer;  I love the Word and teach it to....well, lots.  Still, the expense and priority that this mom gave God's Words centuries ago truly amazed me.  It reminded me that often my intention is to make sure my children know God's Words but I am easily distracted by busyness and other voices.  I think of this ancient mother who knew that in these Words Life resided and made it available for her child.  What if I was willing to pay any cost to make His Word available to my kids?  For us, it's easy to physically put it in their hands, but it costs much more to pour it into their lives and hearts.

A few weeks ago my older daughter had an assignment for her AWANA class.  She was to bring her favorite Bible verse to class written on a card.  She chose Psalm 139:14, "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made...."  I smiled when she shared it with me because I too have learned the power of this verse.  This is a truth I want her to know, I want it to come quickly and easily to her mind with a familiar and honest certainty persuading her that all conflicting messages are counterfeit.  God's Word can have this power in  her life....I just want to be alongside saying, "Yep, what He said!"

Back to the retreat, as the Curator neared the end of the tables having presented these precious books to us chronologically we could see the miraculous journey of God's Word through the centuries.  Throughout these years men lived and died doing their part to see that God's Word endured.  He was and continues to be faithful to ensure that it is always so.  

And in the middle of that story was a mother in Ethiopia who went to great expense to ensure that her daughter had a Bible.....May I be like her. 

Here are some great links about the credibility of God's Word (from a favorite pastor blogger - also my husband):
Who wrote the Bible, God or man?
Is the Bible Credible?
Here is a link to the upcoming exhibit of the Green Collection at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art - a MUST SEE!  I'm seriously counting the days.....(21)
Green Collection in OKC