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"Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth". That is probably the best description of the contents of the Good Book that I have ever heard (especially since it's a clever and fitting acronym). There has never been, nor will there ever be another work quite like it. Its content, validity, and truth can be disputed by those who do not have faith in it, but what cannot be disputed is its impact on the world and its effect on people of all ages and generations. I've spent a lot of time studying this book for a wide variety of reasons and settings. When I stop and think about what makes the Bible different from any other book ever written, it's rather obvious both on a faith level AND a logic level.

The thing that separates the Bible from every other book that is obvious on the faith level is, as Katie pointed out in Monday's blog, that it is "God-breathed", or inspired by God Himself. If you have chosen to put your faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, He gives you the gift of the Holy Spirit which allows you to see what you could not see before, particularly that God worked through people, places, and events all throughout Scripture to bring glory to His name and abundant life for all who follow Him. If you have resisted and not chosen to put your faith in Him but are instead waiting for more proof, you are not able to see the obviousness of His inspiration of Scripture. It's that simple. You may be one who is wondering whether God wrote the Bible or humans did. While we know humans physically wrote down the words, you cannot understand God's involvement in it until AFTER you have chosen to believe by faith.

But as I mentioned, there is something about the Bible that separates it from all other books that is obvious to even those who have not put their faith in God. In this world, there are tons of books that are separated into specific genres so that we can find exactly what we are looking for when we go to a bookstore. Children's Literature is separate from History, which is separate from Mystery, which is separate from Religious, which is separate from Romance, etc. However, in this one book we know as the Bible, all of these genres are INCLUDED in the one, giant redemption story! Think about it. What other book can be at times understood by little children, and at other times misunderstood by doctors, teachers, and scholars? Jesus himself reflected on this after realizing that the very towns from which his disciples came and where many of his miracles took place were unrepentant. "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure'" (Matthew 11:25-26 [NIV]).

As I'm sure many of you have as well, I've seen this in my own life and those close to me. One of the earliest books I remember being exposed to as a kid was the Bible. While I couldn't understand much of it, there were basic truths I learned, such as God's love for me and the need for me to love others. I grew up being part of the church and its youth group and eventually went to seminary. I graduated from seminary this past August and have certainly grown in my knowledge and understanding of the Bible. However, the most important thing I came to realize about the Bible was that, the more I learn, the more I realize there's still so much I've yet to learn. One of the most influential people in my life concerning that reality was my Hebrew professor at Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Dr. Gary Staats. He "knows" more about the Bible than anyone I've ever met, by a long shot. He's been studying the ORIGINAL LANGUAGES of the Bible for more years than I've been alive. Yet, the amazing thing is that he still studies it every single day and learns new and exciting truths. In his own words, he has "barely scratched the surface". I contrast Dr. Staats with my adopted nieces and nephew, who came into my life after being adopted by my brother and his wife. They've experienced so much brokenness in their short time on this earth due to the bad choices of their biological parents, yet I see the impact of the Bible on their lives. My nephew (age 7) picked his new name to be "Joseph Joshua", because he read about two men in the Bible whom he really liked. My youngest niece Amanda (age 3) already has most of the song "Jesus Loves Me" down and it is truly a joy to hear her sing it. The one part she never messes up is "the Bible tells me so".

Just to recap, my niece, who has received very little love by anyone in her life for her first two and a half years and who can barely understand my brother's house rules, has already begun to understand the Biblical truth that Jesus loves her. My seminary professor, who has forgotten more about the Bible than I'll ever know, learns new things about it every day. Friends, there's just no other book you can say this about. It's impact on the whole world is obvious, even if you choose not to believe in it. The Bible is a love story, a history lesson, a mystery novel, a religious guide, a children's classic, and a scholarly work ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Wherever you are on your faith journey, I pray you understand just how special this book of "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth" really is!