Contented Sigh…
Finally, finally, FINALLY (did I say finally?) -- it’s the 27th!! Woo Hoo!!
It’s SO GREAT to be back to the blogosphere! I have missed this soooo much, and have been counting down the days to this day for a whole month. I’m hoping to write and post most of the story around why I haven’t blogged for the last 30 days, but it’s going to be very tricky to write, and may end up not happening, unfortunately.
During the past 30 days, there are several blog posts from other people’s blogs that have been brought to my mind over and over again, and that I’ve tried to share the main ideas of with other people. I hope to find those posts again and post them on this blog where they will be preserved for myself and my family for many years to come, Lord willing, for the glory of God.
Also during these days, I’ve been spending time listening to the New Testament on CD in my truck during the commute to and from work. What a blessing! The dramatized audio word-for-word reading of the scriptures is contained all on one disc because of the beauty of modern-day technology in the form of MP3 files. Thank You God, and thank you New Hope, for providing this marvelous resource!
(See this website for more details: http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/)
At the end of the disc there were several stories shared by someone who works with this organization, stories that left an indelible mark on my soul. One of their main purposes is to get the New Testament translated (in audio form) into the languages of all of the unreached people of the world, most of whom cannot read. There are people in the world who believe the God does not speak their language, and that He has to speak to them through an interpreter. By God’s power working through them, Faith Comes by Hearing is changing that.
God has also been taking me on a journey towards loving, valuing and craving His Word more and more every day. It started years ago, when I would hear people talking about how much they craved God’s Word, and how fulfilling it was to them to spend hours and hours reading, praying and studying. I recognized the absence of that kind of craving in my own heart and life, and began to ask God to give me more of a love for and desire for His Word.
Since then, God has brought about the answer to that prayer through various methods. Blogging has been one of them, as I’ve read the words of fellow bloggers who cherish God’s Word, and who post the words of men and women of the past who also cherished it, and wrote about its value so eloquently. Then in May 2008, our family went to a theme park in Orlando, FL called “The Holy Land Experience.”
While we were there, we were privileged to hear a 30-minute lecture about William Tyndale, who was responsible, in large part, for the wording used in the translation of the scriptures known as “The King James Version.” His life was dedicated to and given for the all-encompassing vision he had to see the scriptures translated into English from their original languages. God used that lecture to open my eyes to see how much has been given and sacrificed to bring us the priceless treasure that is the Bible.
He also used the ancient truths housed in a hymn called “O Word of God Incarnate.” When I recently heard it on the “Glad: Acapella Hymns” CD, it captured my heart so fully that I soon thereafter found all of the words online and set myself to memorizing them. As I would sing those words, the Holy Spirit would turn them into a prayer resounding from the deepest part of my soul.
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Here are the words, for anyone who might be interested:
O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
Finally, finally, FINALLY (did I say finally?) -- it’s the 27th!! Woo Hoo!!
It’s SO GREAT to be back to the blogosphere! I have missed this soooo much, and have been counting down the days to this day for a whole month. I’m hoping to write and post most of the story around why I haven’t blogged for the last 30 days, but it’s going to be very tricky to write, and may end up not happening, unfortunately.
During the past 30 days, there are several blog posts from other people’s blogs that have been brought to my mind over and over again, and that I’ve tried to share the main ideas of with other people. I hope to find those posts again and post them on this blog where they will be preserved for myself and my family for many years to come, Lord willing, for the glory of God.
Also during these days, I’ve been spending time listening to the New Testament on CD in my truck during the commute to and from work. What a blessing! The dramatized audio word-for-word reading of the scriptures is contained all on one disc because of the beauty of modern-day technology in the form of MP3 files. Thank You God, and thank you New Hope, for providing this marvelous resource!
(See this website for more details: http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/)
At the end of the disc there were several stories shared by someone who works with this organization, stories that left an indelible mark on my soul. One of their main purposes is to get the New Testament translated (in audio form) into the languages of all of the unreached people of the world, most of whom cannot read. There are people in the world who believe the God does not speak their language, and that He has to speak to them through an interpreter. By God’s power working through them, Faith Comes by Hearing is changing that.
God has also been taking me on a journey towards loving, valuing and craving His Word more and more every day. It started years ago, when I would hear people talking about how much they craved God’s Word, and how fulfilling it was to them to spend hours and hours reading, praying and studying. I recognized the absence of that kind of craving in my own heart and life, and began to ask God to give me more of a love for and desire for His Word.
Since then, God has brought about the answer to that prayer through various methods. Blogging has been one of them, as I’ve read the words of fellow bloggers who cherish God’s Word, and who post the words of men and women of the past who also cherished it, and wrote about its value so eloquently. Then in May 2008, our family went to a theme park in Orlando, FL called “The Holy Land Experience.”
While we were there, we were privileged to hear a 30-minute lecture about William Tyndale, who was responsible, in large part, for the wording used in the translation of the scriptures known as “The King James Version.” His life was dedicated to and given for the all-encompassing vision he had to see the scriptures translated into English from their original languages. God used that lecture to open my eyes to see how much has been given and sacrificed to bring us the priceless treasure that is the Bible.
He also used the ancient truths housed in a hymn called “O Word of God Incarnate.” When I recently heard it on the “Glad: Acapella Hymns” CD, it captured my heart so fully that I soon thereafter found all of the words online and set myself to memorizing them. As I would sing those words, the Holy Spirit would turn them into a prayer resounding from the deepest part of my soul.
************
Here are the words, for anyone who might be interested:
O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky:
We praise You for the radiance that from the hallowed page,
A Lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age.
The Church from You, our Savior, received the Gift divine,
And still that Light is lifted over all the earth to shine.
It is the sacred Vessel where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heaven drawn Picture of Christ, the living Word.
The Scripture is a banner before God’s host unfurled;
It is a shining Beacon above the darkling world.
It is the Chart and Compass that over life’s surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to You, O Christ, will guide.
O make your Church, dear Savior, a lamp of purest gold,
To bear before the nations Your true light as of old.
O teach your wandering pilgrims by this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended, they see You face to face.
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Ever since these words have been stored in my heart, the craving for more of God’s Word has been cemented. (Thank You, Father!) According to God’s infinite and holy grace, He has answered my prayer and allowed me to become of those people who would rather read His Word, or listen to His Word, than anything else on Earth.
I’ve been immersing myself passionately, whole-heartedly and joyfully in studying the history of the English-language Bible. The William Tyndale story is just a tiny drop in the bucket of the lavish, interesting, and intriguing string of events and people that God worked through to bring us the Bible as it is today. If you’re interested in reading more about it, here’s the website I’ve been reading mostly:
http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/index.html
There are incredible pictures on this website of pages of Bibles dating back as far as the 1400’s and 1500’s and even earlier. They make my spiritual taste-buds water. I’ve been enjoying this study so profoundly that I’m considering taking classes at a Bible college to learn more about it, officially. The irony in this is that when I was a kid in school, I hated history. It was my worst subject. I’m so glad God has a sense of humor…
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One more thing… I’ve decided to try to start posting about at least some of the movies I see that I find some sort of life-enriching value in. I’ve found several great movies by looking at friends’ blogs, and I greatly appreciate it when my friends recommend good movies, especially since there are so many different films to choose from. If you’re a fellow blogger, and you notice a post on my blog about a movie you recommended on your blog, please take it as a compliment of the highest sort!
3 comments:
Hi Mel :)
I am very thrilled to see you back fully refreshed and energised with a lot of invigorating information about God's words.
Your hibernation has done a lot of good for you and I can see the change in the beautiful words penned by you with abundant holiness and encouraging messages egging us to get closer to God.
You sound very inspired and this this inspiration is contagious and will certainly rub on everyone who visits your site.
The photo is very alluring and enchanting and makes me jump with joy.
God bless you and your family:)
Hi Joseph!
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. It's so great to be back, and I pray that God will keep my activities balanced. I can be quite compulsive when left to my own devices. :) I'm so glad you liked the photo. May God's blessings abound in your life every moment of every day!
Hi! I decided to drop in when I noticed you quoted William Walsham How's lovely hymn, "O Word of God Incarnate." (Today is the 112th anniversary of his death.) Your experience of finding spiritual enrichment in an old hymn is shared by many others.
I encourage you to keep digging into this rich treasury. Many great hymns were written out of spiritual struggles and deep experience with the Lord. As a hymn historian, I have tried to share at least a little of this on my blog site, Wordwise Hymns.
May the Lord continue to lead you and bless you on your spiritual pilgrimage.
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