"Open up your Bibles..."

     At our new church, the teaching pastor usually gives this directive at the beginning of his message,  "If you brought your Bible, open it to..."  I hear the rustle of pages flipping as the other attenders locate this week's scripture.  However, so far into my time there, I rely on the notes provided in the weekly program.  There are two reasons I don't bring my Bible to church with me.
1, an excuse reason: I don't have a groovy little case for it.
2, the real reason:  It's akin to a Monet--from afar, say while it's sitting on a shelf, it's lovely.  Up close, say when one needs to open it, it's a mess.
     This particular NIV The Quest edition was given to me by the brother of a pastor from my former church.  Said pastor had authored the teaching notes in one of the books, and at one time he owned lots of copies.  This one came to me used, brother's or pastor's handwriting in it, but I didn't care.  It's the one I made notes in.  It's the one I smacked my name tags in after every class or meeting.  It's the book I had on my lap from winter through summer of that life-changing year. It's the one where I found Jesus and hope on so many pages--even in the Old Testament.  It is my treasure.
     But it is falling apart.  If I took it to church, Brad and I would be constantly reaching, grabbing and bending to retrieve its falling tissue paper thick pages.  I'd be distracted by the things inside.
     Here's what I mean:
     The table of contents are clipped to the title page.  I have to unclip and unfold to use them.  Also pictured is part of my name tag "collection."

     "In the beginning" has separated a bit...These pages of Genesis often get moved into the NT.

     Notes--not mine in this case...when I come across any writing, mine or other's, I have to delve into the text to see if I can discern what was noteworthy.  Kind of a distraction.  (In this case, it's all about God!)

     And the maps.  Well, suffice it to say they came in handy in my last Bible study group.  Whenever we talked about geography, I could take my maps out and pass them around as a visual aid.

Why pass the whole cumbersome book when one can pass a page or two?

 

     To assist me in learning and understanding, I have collected other Bibles, other translations and two paraphrased versions, over the past five years.  But this one, like a best-loved blankie or a worn Teddy Bear, has been put to such good use, remains my favorite. 
     I just can't take to church.