Gratitude for the Bible

On Sunday a couple of weeks ago my vicar preached a sermon that really spoke to me. He was preaching from John 21 when the disciples have returned to fishing after the exciting events of the crucifixion and resurrection. The disciples are in the boat and see Jesus on the shore.

 'Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.'  John 21:6 NLT     

My vicar was challenging us to try something different. Apparently fishermen would not have fished from the right side of the boat, so the right side was the wrong side. I really felt God was speaking to me personally through this verse about change - a need to do something a new way. I am praying into this verse now and await more input from the Holy Spirit. Isn't it exciting when you know that the Creator of the Universe is speaking you. 

This has made me so grateful that I have the privilege of having the Bible in my own language and also people to expound it to me. I have the Word of God so easily available to me in many different translations. What a gift that is! As we know the Bible is a collection of writings from a lot of different writers, inspired by God. Today I give thanks for those writers who made sure I had the Word of God written down.  

Following on from that I think of those spent their lives making sure we have the Bible in our own language. People like John Wycliffe, John Hus (who was burned at the stake for his troubles) and William Tyndale to name but a few.

I am grateful for those who developed the printing  industry, starting with Johann Gutenberg, enabling the Bible to be more easily produced. The first copies of the English version of the Bible were hand written. Amazing!

We work in this industry today, hundreds of years later. Today I want to pause and give thanks for all those who came before us and gave us such an immense gift. The gift of the Word of God in our own language. Will you join me in praising God for the gift of writers and publishers of days gone by?

Praise God for writers, printers and publishers who have worked so hard over hundreds of years to give us this gift. 

Lynda Alsford is a sea loving, cat loving GP administrator and writes in her spare time. She has written two books, He Never Let Go describes her journey through a major crisis of faith whilst working as an evangelist at a lively Church in Chiswick, West London. Being Known describes how God set her free from food addiction. Both books are available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. She writes a newsletter, Seeking the Healer, in which she shares the spiritual insights she has gained on her journey. Sign up for this at her website www.lyndaalsford.com.