Prized Possession

I was given a Bible that belonged to my grandma shortly after her death. It has taken me a few years now to really decide how I wanted to present it to the world. The book itself stands alone. A treasure among treasures, this has been the best gift I have ever been given. Almost as precious as the Word, is the great value given to it by it's previous owner. There are marks and highlights and notes that fill the pages. I can see with my own eyes which passages inflamed her heart.

Tucked inside the front cover, I counted seven bookmarks. One has a little girl on the front holding flowers. It has a vintage look, with the prayer-poem "Day by Day" on it. Another looked as if a young relative, perhaps a grandchild, crafted it from yarn. It's a light-green cross. 

A list of scriptures that deals with subjects like dreams, prophetic visions, and apocalyptic revelations from God lined the backside of a photocopy from a book about prophets of old. Notes on a Bible study of the book of Daniel, favorite hymns, more prayer poetry, a "How To Pray" in the A.C.T.S. style, maps of the Holy Land, and last but not least a bulletin dated April 9, 2004 were folded and filed in the front cover of her prized possession.


The Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17 had numbering each one separated by "1st, 2nd, 3rd," and on and on. By the way she lived her life, at least the life I saw her live, she didn't believe anything other than Jesus saves us alone by what He did on the cross, and we have victory because of his resurrection. Clearly, she knew of His saving grace. "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." -John 6:40 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." -Acts 4:12


One of my last memories of her was shortly before she passed into eternity. We were talking in my living room about different members of our family not being saved. I told her of a dream that I recently had about my younger brother. He was wrapped in the arms of a man wearing a bright white robe. She just said that's a promise to hold on to. I think about that and am reminded by another passage underlined- John 10:27, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." Promises made by man are often neglected and forgotten, but the Promises of God last forever and are always brought about in perfect timing. 

Her faith in God's power to overcome for those who trust in Jesus filled our conversations. At each opportunity given, she spoke of how her children were going to serve the Lord. She believed it. She spoke it. It has come to pass.