The Beauty of His Words

In a world where our lives are engulfed in a plethora of social media posts and pins, I am one of the rare birds that appreciates the written word.  Not typed or hash-tagged, smiley-faced or pinned, but the tilt of hand, ink to paper, a hard-copied print of one person's signature on the world.  I post, pin and smiley face as much as anyone else, this blog wouldn't exist otherwise.  However, making a recipe your grandma wrote on an index card, finding a long forgotten love letter, or seeing your child's carefully printed first attempt of their name are things of beauty to me.  My sister Shelly has a beautiful love of family history, and it was an idea she suggested that has become one of my most treasured possessions from my father.

Many years ago, instead of dropping our pennies in a greeting card store's cash register, we began giving affirmations to one another on each person's birthday.  This started out as a somewhat awkward exchange of spoken affirmations of what that person meant to every member of the family, but it grew into an exchange of beautifully handwritten cards.  All those years ago, I never would have guessed these would become such a treasured part of the memories of my dad.  I would get my last affirmation card from him a mere month before he passed away, a simple shakily scrawled "Happy Birthday" and "I love you" signed "Dad" that would become a priceless memory.  I continue finding most of the notes he penned me, words of wisdom and love, that have almost become dad's little instruction book to me.

It is funny my post has turned to the importance of the written word, because as I was composing my last post and switching back and forth from the apps I use for blogging and the Bible, I received another message from my dad.  To be honest it made me chuckle, because it was a debate we had often and a debate that showed how equally stubborn we both are.  Some of you may think I am crazy, but one of my dear sisters reminded me that the veil between earth and Heaven is thin.  I feel my dad's direction many times, and on this particular day, I would almost bet money he was leaning over my shoulder, reading my post, listening to my thoughts and directing me as to where I needed to go next.

One of the most poignant memories I have is of my dad crouched over his well-worn Bible in his office studying God's Word, a memory so powerful I still imagine my dad merely in his office studying when I visit my mom.  My dad loved God's word, specifically the King James Version of it, and he spent many hours poring over it's passages.  Dad took the mantra "hiding God's Word in your heart" very seriously and Scripture passages would almost bubble out of him while in conversation.  He was remarkably accurate and most often could recall the chapter and verse for reference.  He loved the King James translation of the Bible and purported it as the most accurate translation out there, and that is where the debate began with his stubborn youngest daughter.

As I mentioned before, I spent most of my late teens and early twenties in an intense, angry temper tantrum with God that didn't allow for a lot of Bible study.  I was armed with just enough Bible knowledge to be dangerous, but I was going to use it to it's full potential.  Many times a conversation with dad would twist me into a tightly wound cord and he would quietly sit there and let me rant until I wore myself out.

When I finally made peace with God and began attending church more regularly, I found the New International Version of the Bible illuminated scripture for me.  It was almost as if it was a language I had finally decoded and I understood what God was saying.  I remember several discussions with my dad as to why I had chosen this version, and the conversation usually ended in me confessing that it was my simple mind that couldn't get past the "thou's" and "thee's" to get to the real message God had for me.  Dad stated his case for the KJV at any chance he got, with me and many others.  He never ranted or raved, he would simply hand you books about the KJV and ask you to take a look at them.  So, when I felt my last post needed some Scripture references I began looking in the NIV for one that came to mind, only to realize my memory is in the KJV.  Switching to the King James I easily located it, looked at the the New International to compare, and that is when I realized something.

I received the same illumination of Scripture I had but while reading the King James, this had to have made my dad leap for joy on the golden streets of Heaven because I shook my head and said, "Okay, dad, I get it".  I realized what I had been missing was the power, the beauty behind God's Word.  One pastor spoke of this in reference to Creation saying he had no doubt that when God said "Let there be light" that it made quite a big bang!  And that was the lesson God sent me through my dad, there is power in the word of God. 

I find when I read from the King James my voice changes in my head, like I am channeling some powerful force, some superhero of the universe and I am trying to make that come alive with each word.   It says in Psalms 33:6-7, 9 KJV, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast".  The voice I use in my head to read those powerful words doesn't even compare to a voice that can stop a tsunami in it's path or harness a red giant star with a mere breath.  So, the next time your world seems to be hanging onto nothing, when your job is too stressful, when you are mourning someone with a terminal illness, when one more thing crunches your finances or someone cuts your soul deeper with hurtful words remember that there is power in God's word.  His strength abounds within it's pages, whether it be the King James, New International, the Message, God will speak to you.  

Take to heart David's words in Psalms 119:105 KJV, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" and, so you know, I used reference only from the King James, insert big goofy smile here.  Be proud, Dad, be proud!