21st Century Gideons’ Guide
One of the things I have always noticed about Gideons’ Bibles in motel rooms is that they include an excellent guide of verses, categorized by topic and issue. A Lubbock friend (Billy Hull) sent me a link to God’s Yellow Pages today, which is like a 21st century Gideons’ guide to the Bible.
The entry that caught my attention tonight was one for “courage.” I blogged earlier today about courage— how it is not the lack of fear, but rather the ability to act despite fear– but this verse (Psalm 27:14) puts yet a different spin on courage that I need to be reminded of.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Courage, in a Christian sense, also means remembering WHO IS IN CONTROL of this world and what my place in it actually is. I think we often think of “courageous people” as folks who went out and “made things happen” — I at least don’t always think of courage as something that involves God’s will– often I think of it as something that is a product of human will. Certainly the choices we make matter… I think a great part of the Christian walk is the struggle to make GOOD and BETTER choices, when faced with temptations and adversity– but in the end we need to recognize the existance of God’s will and His sovereignty.
I am not sure about others, but I know that I RARELY want to wait. For anything. Waiting is not really considered virtuous anymore, in popular culture. Perhaps it never was, but it seems that it was held in higher regard by previous generations. The emphasis now in our consumer-driven society is to NEVER wait: always buy now, always satisfy your urges with rash spending and impulsive decision-making.
Those are poor habits. The Psalmist reminds us that we should strive to be courageous people– and we should take courage in the strength and in the perfect plan of the LORD. Waiting is difficult for adults, at times, just as it seems excruciatingly difficult for my two year old. Yet in waiting, we all should take heart– and have courage. For we may not know the future, but we know who holds the future…. and we can rest easy knowing that the future is in good hands. š
For additional links like these, refer to the official website of the Gideons and click on “Bible Helps” and then “Help in Time of Need.”
Thanks for the link to God’s Yellow Pages.
Like you, I have always like the front of the Gideon Bibles & their lists of where to go in the Bible. Now we have a computer link!
I have 2 hardback Gideon bibles in my care, and 2-3 miniature Gideons. I am drawn to them like a moth to flame whenever I stay in a hotel room. I have no idea what compels me to grab them, read them, keep them.
The compulsion has gone away. I have no guilt at having 2 hardback Gideons in my home. My daughter has one, and I have the other on my desk…next to a few other bibles. Why? I don’t know. But, I draw comfort from them, just to know they are at hand.
Funny, no?
The Gideons hand out Bibles to Grade 5 students here in Canada. Do they do that in the states?
Anyway, when my son was in Grade 5 he took his Bible and put it in his golf bag. He called it his “lucky Bible”.
Not really supporting your post but a comment I thought I’d share.