I read something in a newspaper recently that got me to thinking about the Bible’s place in society.  Of course it is found in Christian churches.  It certainly is found in my Christian Science church.   And I teach from it in my Christian Science Sunday School.  It is found in the homes of Christians.   I have numerous copies in my home, most of them a bit worn.  Sometimes it is found in the classroom, but only under certain conditions.  I remember taking classes on the Bible in college, studying the Old Testament and then the New Testament.  These classes primarily looked at the Bible from a literary and historical perspective.

These, of course, are geographical places.  And these days the Bible is found in different forms.  My favorite is my black leather Bible.  I also have the Bible on my computer with additional translations, commentaries and Greek and Hebrew dictionaries for more in-depth study. The Bible is available on cassette and CD.  Some have a Pod-cast version. These are the physical forms and places in which the Bible is found.

But thinking a bit more broadly, where does the Bible find its place in the heart?

Does the Bible have a special place in the heart?  Is it treasured?  For me, the answer is yes.  As a Christian Scientist I believe the Bible to be the roadmap to salvation since it contains the teachings of Jesus.  It gives so many life-lessons from the people of Israel, the patriarchs, the prophets; from Jesus and from his disciples and Paul. The Bible gives help with individual character in the Ten Commandments and in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  It shows the value of humility.  It shows the importance of love.  It shows that Jesus healed spiritually.  And others healed too, like Moses and Elisha and followers of Jesus.  It helps the reader to know God better.

A few years ago I read the Bible through from cover to cover, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation.  I found this very enlightening.  I felt like I went on a journey with the people of the Bible as they came to know God better.  It seems that every time the people turned away from God, they struggled and every time they turned back to God they found Him right there, ready to help, meeting their needs and even blessing them abundantly.  There really isn’t anything quite like the power and love of God.

Over and over again in my life Christian Science has proved effective in helping me understand and successfully use the spiritual healing laws of God by which Jesus and others in the Bible healed.  Let me share an example of this.   One day, several years ago, I injured my knee.   As I was praying for healing, a couple of verses from the Bible came to my thought.  It’s a favorite passage of mine from Psalm 91.  It says that God gives His angles charge over us, to keep us safe.  They keep us from dashing our foot against a stone.  They keep us from being dashed.  They protect us from, and deliver us from, injury.  This helped me feel the power of God and His love for me.  About ten minutes later an adjustment occurred in my knee (you could hear a “pop”) and I found myself completely back to normal.

So you can see, naturally, the Bible has a special place in my heart.  I hope it finds a place in yours.  If not yet, then, when you’re ready.

Next week is National Bible Week in the U. S. (Sunday, November 21 through Sunday, November 28).  It’s a time designated to give a little extra attention to how special the Bible is.  It’s a reminder to keep a place – a special place – in our hearts for the Bible.

Note: for more information on the Bible, see Wikipedia, The American Bible Society, The National Bible Association, The Christian Science Publishing Society, Christian Science Bible Lessons.