Word of God Speak

Today I did something I have never ever done before. I gave my Bible away to a stranger. Not just any Bible either, like my favorite Bible. I've had it for 4 years, and its traveled with me to Georgia, New Zealand, Florida, Cambodia, South Africa, and Botswana. I've marked it up with my favorite passages and times when God spoke to me through it. And I just gave it away.

Well, I didn't just give it away. It was something God told me to do. Last Sunday I was sitting in church, and to be honest, daydreaming a bit, and I was asking God to prepare me for ministry this week. And I heard Him say to give my Bible away to someone that needs it. My first thought was no way, this is my Bible. I love this Bible...the size, the color, everything about it I love. But God didn't let it go, so I began to emotionally prepare to separate from my Bible. I know, it sounds crazy that I even was feeling emotional separation, but I was. On Monday morning we had a time of intercession, and I heard God speak about my Bible again, and I knew it would be this week. We went out to this shopping plaza to do some prayer and evangelism, and with everyone we talked to I was wondering if they would be the one. I wanted God to be so clear with who would get my Bible. It didn't happen on Monday. Tuesday morning we did the same thing. I wasn't feeling too great, and wasn't too excited about the morning and really let my other group members lead the way. We weren't finding anyone that was open to prayer, and so I just prayed that God would give us someone just sitting there. And then we met Jacob. He was just sitting there. He makes pieces of string artwork to sell to locals and tourists, and he was just making his art when we approached him. We found out he was from Zimbabwe, and had only been in South Africa 6 months. He was really kind. I asked him if I could pray for him, and he said sure. And so I asked him if there was anything he'd like prayer for. And he said he wanted a Bible. My mouth probably fell open because none of us had our Bibles out and I knew God was making it extremely clear to me. So I asked him if he could read English, and he said yes. So I asked him if he wanted mine. And he said yes. Even though it was pink! We spent awhile talking to him about the Bible and Jesus and His Word. We left feeling confident he knew Jesus and now would be able to read His Word every day.

When I came on outreach, I knew I'd be leaving stuff behind but I never thought it'd be my Bible. But I really couldn't have been happier to let it go that day. I'm really learning how beautiful it feels to obey God no matter what He asks.