Gratitude - Day 4 - The Word

Ma'gen Da'vid's Torah Scroll  - over 350 years old

G-d's Word has to be one of the things I am most thankful for.  I see it as my User's Guide to Life on Earth, and most of all my comfort.  Nothing and no one can comfort me like His Word.  Truly, the Holy Scripture are the Living Water when I am thirsty, and the Bread of Life when I'm hungry

The Bible has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  I lived across the street from Aunt Inez, who was my father's sister.  Her husband, my Uncle Ronnie, was a Pentecostal preacher.  They had five children of their own, but sort of adopted me.  I felt such love in their home, and most of all I loved the Bible reading and prayer time we did together every morning.  I learned to love G-d and His Word from these kind-hearted loving people.  My parents did not go to church, and my daddy was an alcoholic, so there was a whole different atmosphere at my home across the street.

I enjoyed a close, loving family until I was around 6 or 7 years old.  That's when my aunt and uncle moved away.  I was devastated and lonely.  I begged my mama and daddy to take me to church, and so they began attending a nearby Southern Baptist fellowship.  Daddy quit going after a short while, but he drove Mama and me to the services every Sunday and came back to pick us up.

As a little girl, in that small Baptist church, I found strength from G-d's Word to live in a very angry, chaotic atmosphere.  The love I knew from my aunt and uncle helped me to survive.  I can remember as a very young child, laying in my bed at night, listening to my parents fight.  I would quote Bible verses and sing hymns to block out the sounds of their quarreling.  My mother attended church until I was in junior high school, when one day  she said she couldn't live the Christian life married to my daddy.  I was blessed to have a friend whose mother gave me rides to and from the services and youth activities after that.  Through my junior and high school years,  I clung to my church, and I clung to my Bible.  I knew they would save me. 

Looking back on my life, I know G-d's Word preserved me, and it preserves me and saves me to this day.  When I'm hurting or confused, I read His Word, and I find hope to go on.  I find answers to my questions.  I find beauty and comfort when all appears bleak.  I often say I don't know how people make it who don't the L-rd. 

Most of all, I'm thankful for the wisdom I find in His Word.  As I've written before, the day came in my life when I fell to my knees and cried out for His wisdom...not the church's, not a denomination's, not a man's...but His wisdom.  My prayers were heard, and I found that wisdom.  Although I had studied the Bible my whole life, I never found true wisdom until I began to study the Torah.  That wisdom has brought me out of confusion, and made me strong and confident in my beliefs.  

I'm thankful, too, for every person along the way who taught me G-d's Word.  My Sunday School teachers, Youth Leaders, Preachers, and the many Bible Study Teachers who have faithfully shared their knowledge with me.  I have always hungered for more of G-d and His Word.  I feel so blessed to live in age when His Word is so accessible.  I don't take that for granted, Father, and I thank You and praise You for preserving Your Word over thousands of years.

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I'm linking up today with:


Faith Filled Friday
Still Saturdays

and Spiritual Sundays