"The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!"

A few weeks ago, I saw in the paper that a choir from Hendrix College was going to be putting on a Christmas concert in Fort Smith. I really like Christmas music, and so I wanted to go and convinced Daniel to take me.

We went on a Thursday night to a big United Methodist Church not far from where I work in a part of town that could use some Christmas cheer. The old building has a beautifully designed sanctuary with a balcony jutting out over the lower level and the huge organ pipes covering the front wall.

I’m not use to such ornate church buildings, but it really was lovely with white lights hung and green Christmas wreaths.

The choir  and the music brightened my hard day? week? year? I sat mesmerized listening to the students sing like angels pulled from heaven for the show. It was beautiful.

In between the musical selections, Scripture was read telling the whole story of the Bible from creation to the exodus to the prophecies to the birth of the Christ.

I was really inspired by the way the Scripture was read and received. After each selection was read the speaker said “The Word of the Lord.” And, the whole congregation called back enthusiastically, ‘Thanks be to God!”

I assume this practice is common in Methodist churches, but it was new to me and eye opening.

As Daniel and I pursue our goal of working to translate the Scriptures for people with no access to them, I wonder how much I take for granted the Word of the Lord.  Sometimes it’s easy to see reading the Bible as a chore rather than a wonderful blessing–the very Words of God coming to me!

What a blessing and amazement that we have access to God through His Word and THE WORD made flesh.

I pray that one day Daniel and I may witness people receiving the Word in their own language. That we can say to them with smiles,  “The Word of the Lord.” And, the people after hearing His Words for the first time, in their language, in their lives, will say enthusiastically, “THANKS BE TO GOD!”

May the Word and the Word made flesh find a deeper place in our hearts this year.