As we approach the month of November we look toward the completion of our year-long journey through the Bible.  I am so proud of those of you who stuck with us along the way.  Some of the passages were somewhat tedious and maybe we can't remember everything we read.  Recently the following story was forwarded to me.

It is the story of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.  Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible.  His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way that he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book.  What good does reading the Bible do?"  The Grandfather quietly turned frm putting coal in the stove and said, "Take this old wicker coal pasket down to the river and bring back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house.  The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.  This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home.  Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was "impossible to carry water in a basket," and he wanted a bucket instead.  The old man siad, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water.  You can do this.  You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew that it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all.  The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was empty again.  Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?"  The old man siad, "Look at the basket."  The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different.  Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible.  You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it waill change you from the inside out."

I really like this story because I don't retain things too well anymore...old age may have something to do with it but I just figure my brain gets overloaded!  God isn't concerned about our brains anyway, He's more concerned about our hearts.

I hope we can renew our commitment and again journey through God's Word.  If you faltered along the way this last time or didn't even begin the journey, just join us this time.  No matter how much of it you read, it will be a blessing and "wash the basket of our lives" clean.

Keep on reading and let the blessed Word of God touch our lives anew each time we read it.  We may not retain every word, but the words have "washed through our brains and hearts" and will become more familiar each time through and we are made better by it.

Learn more about Cross Community Church online: www.crosscommunityberne.org