BORING? NOT MY BIBLE!

As one lives with the bible, it springs to life with stories of the past and prophecies for our exciting future.

What a disappointment! A young couple viewed a strip of land for sale in the prairies, and at first glance it was boring. Nothing but tall brown grass. But they'd come to see the land: may as well give it a closer look.

The land bordered on a river. Circles of stones and cold ashes were evidence of campers who had stopped there, perhaps as they paddled toward the distant mountains.

The couple decided they wanted the land despite their initial disappointment. Deed in hand, they made camp, and spent several weekends living near their river.

Disappointment turned to amazement as prairie flowers added their colours, and the music of the breeze played through the greening grass.

Bluebirds, waxwings, hummingbirds, and flickers kept them company by day, and at night they were lulled to sleep by the whoo, whoo-whooing of a great horned owl. A small island became home to a pair of Canada Geese, and a brace of deer paid a visit for a drink from the river.

With no city lights to dim the evening sky, the new owners searched out majestic constellations and galaxies.

Their story is a reminder of David, who wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork (Psalm 19:1)." David marvelled at the heavens, the moon and the stars, and wondered why God, who could create the vast expanse of the universe, would pay a attention to a speck of dust called man (Psalm 8:3).

The young couple's story also reminds us of Solomon's canticle, "Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell (Song of Solomon 2:9-13)."

But their story also has a parallel in the book from which these verses are taken. Most homes have a bible somewhere. Perhaps it's a small white copy stored away with the bride's wedding dress. Possibly it's the standard black-covered bible that gets dusted off and placed on the coffee table when the pastor calls. Or it may be the souvenir of an overnight stay at a hotel.

From the roadside the parcel of land looked boring. But as the young couple discovered when they lived with their land it sprang to life, and became exciting to them.

While it sits on the coffee table, or supports other books on the shelf, the bible may be seem boring. No colourful pictures on the cover to arouse the senses. But as one lives with the bible, it too springs to life with stories of the past, and prophecies for our exciting future.

Although David had only a portion of the bible, he didn't see it as boring. He sang in praise to God, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105)."

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