The Scratch on My Bible

My Quiet Place

The Scratch on My Bible

If I lost my planner, I would feel lost. I like things to go the way I imagined it in my head. I lay out tomorrow's outfit the night before. I make To Do lists and find joy in checking off a box. My t-shirts in my closet are in rainbow order. As embarrassing as these truths sounds, I have a feeling most of us are perfectionists in one way or another. God often has to mess up my plans just to throw me off enough to turn my OCD brain back to Him. I think He enjoys ruining my schedule. After all, it is His life, not mine. My schedule should be His to do with what He pleases. 

I recently invested in a new Bible. I was beginning a new stage in my life and was ready for a Bible with a new look, new translation, no underlines, no side notes, no stains, and no torn pages so that I could start fresh. I was overly excited and overly picky about finding the perfect Bible. It was silly really. I forgot about the value of God's Word. I focused on the outside cover more than the beautiful inside pages. Eventually, I found my "dream" Bible. Brown and mustard yellow. Gold trimmed pages. The perfect size. The right version. I would look forward to reading my Bible because of how beautiful it was. Of course later I realized that I needed to look forward to reading the Bible because it is the very words of God. But, at the time, that was not the case.

 I wanted it to look new as long as possible. Every underline I made was careful and exact. I kept it in its own safe compartments within book bags so nothing would mess it up. Then it happened. A scratch. Something scratched the front cover of my brand new Bible not soon after I purchased it. My stomach dropped. God messed up my plan to keep this Bible perfect. God humbled me by putting an imperfection on what I wanted to stay perfect. 

God reminds me a lot through little things like scratches that I am not perfect, this world is not perfect, but He is perfect! He is sovereign, I am messed up. I do not have to do everything right. I do not have to color between the lines. My ducks do not have to be in a row. He is perfect for me. What a relief! Every time I see that scratch on my Bible I am reminded of my sinful, imperfect state, and of the righteousness and holiness of God! 

{ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 }

{ The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Psalm 33:10-11 }

❊Question for the Comments❊

How has God "scratched your Bible" recently? 

The Girl Next Door