An Old Leather Bible

I continue to be fascinated when God gives us knowledge to do His work.

I have been doing the things that God is leading me to do for the last few weeks for my neighbors. I have written several times about the different ways the Lord has blessed me.

I learned from my brother-in-law that my neighbors of three elderly gentlemen liked country cooking of brown beans and corn bread. I understand that they also enjoy pies, also.

Fixing up a meal this morning, I was off to receive a blessing.

I packed my hot meal into margarine bowls. I then looked through a large box of Christian material that had been given to me a few years ago. This box was packed full of Alliance magazines with wonderful stories that contained fine reading. The magazines had belonged to a little lady that I dearly loved and she died at the age of 95 a couple of years prior. Her niece had given them to me as well as a bible commentary and several bible versions of the bible. I spotted an old leather bible in the King James version. I knew immediately that I wanted to give it as well as the magazines to these men who may not know Christ.

I was greeted the third time that I went to visit and take food as God led me. Smiling, I gave the oldest of, 85 their dinner for the day. I kept praying in my spirit that God would allow them to come to know Him through this old leather bible with pages of yellow and curled corners. I thanked God for allowing me to give them this bible that meant so much to me knowing whom it had belonged to.

I opened the bible before I tucked it into the bag with the magazines and the steaming hot lunch. I inscribed on the front page their names and told them may God bless you. I told them where the bible had came from and why it was so old.

I knew that it contained everything that they needed to know to receive eternal life. I took the narrow maroon ribbon and placed it on the pages of John 3:16 and underlined it in ink. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I thanked God for the bible that He had provided just for these men. I wondered if they had a bible but I do know for sure that God wanted me to give them this one.

I noticed as I chatted with the elderly gentleman from my car that he had two rectangle patches attached over his knees in denim to his coveralls. They each were very neatly attached. I thought they had been sewn on by a sewing machine because of their neatness. It led me to ask him if they had plenty of blankets and quilts? He replied with, I sleep in a colder room with the door shut with about 6 blankets on me. I was going to give them some of my old quilts that I had that was made by my mother or make them one myself. I said, Do you sew? I was amazed that he had whipped stitched those large triangles of around 1ft. by 5 down the fronts of his knees. He mentioned that it was sort of hard on his fingers. I saw fine needle work that showed not one pucker of twisted material down the front. I was in wonder at his work. He told me back in his younger days that he had slept on a straw mattress.

He began to tell me of his side and hip hurting him now days. He could not sleep too long at night, and laughed, saying, It probably is because of all those blankets that I have trouble moving or turning over under.

I was so glad to see his brother with a bad swollen hand before, was now down to the normal size. I thanked God with glee as I recalled praying for him and his hand to be restored to normal. God did just that. I also listened as he told me he had fallen a few days before on some concrete and now his hip hurt him with much pain. He had a 4 ft. long stick that he was using to maneuver himself around in the snow while I was there. His other brother came strolling across the barn lot and waved with a smile.

We chatted awhile and the old gentleman ask me how long I had the car I was driving? How many miles on it? What year is it?

He then told me he had a birthday last month as he turned 85.

My feet were beginning to get cold in my holey old tennis shoes that I wear when gardening. I sat down in my car and said my good-byes before he got so cold himself.

He said, You come back, soon.

I left with a song in my heart and had a skip in my step as I entered into my own warm home to wait on God again to send me where He wanted me to go. Thank you God for the old leather bible that will bring warmth, love, and eternal life into this home. I think of the lady that owned it. She would be so blessed to know what I had done with it. I feel that as a long time missionary herself that God is still bearing fruit even though she has went home to be with the Lord. May Gods word never fail to accomplish where it is sent. May the old leather bible become a beckon to these lonely old gentlemen. Their days are numbered , so few, as they walk upon this earth. May they continue to grow strong in you Lord is my prayer, through an old leather bible that contains eternal life for each one who will only believe and receive the contents.

Written By: Karen {Barnett} Armstrong December 9, 2002