Lost Scriptures

In January I signed up and committed to memorize two verses a month over the next year. With spiral bound note cards in hand, I jotted down the first scripture and diligently began to memorize the Word. Two weeks later - another verse. Two weeks later, yet another. I quickly discovered that I was so hungry to have the Word of God hidden in my heart that I craved it with a new found passion. Every morning, I would take the note cards with the current verse displayed on the top and prop them up in the bathroom as I got ready for work. Then I would take the cards with me to work and lay them on my desk. Back home again - they would go on the kitchen counter as I prepared supper. Throughout the day I would concentrate on the current verse and then begin reciting the previous verses so I wouldn't forget them. Something stirred within me that I had never felt before and it felt good - really good.

This past Monday I had my notecards on my desk. Got up on Tuesday morning, went to pull out the scriptures and couldn't find them. Sure that I must have left them at work, I walked into my office with anticipation of seeing them beside my computer. Nothing. Came home later - searched high and low. No scripture cards. I'm not sure it was panic that filled me, but it felt awfully close to it. Yes - I had memorized those verses and could certainly make another set of cards, which I did. The loss of those note cards struck something within me though. I was zealous for the Word of God like never before and just reading the Bible was no longer enough.

What if tomorrow our Bibles were taken from us? Do I have enough of God's word engraved on my heart and mind to hold true to it? Do I have enough of His promises to stay the course? What about being able to share my faith? Think it will never happen to us? If we were to ask the Jews or others who have been persecuted throughout history, I'm guessing they might have thought the same thing. Who would ever take their Bibles from them? I don't know what the future holds and I certainly pray that I will never be in a situation where I am without the written Word of God. But this I know, I have tasted something good and I want the fullness of His Word in a place that can never be taken from me.