Remember Your "first time" Psalm 16

Do you recall the first time you read your Bible? Many of you may have grown up around it and don't really recall. But I didn't. My memory of going home after accepting Christ, digging furiously for a Bible, any Bible and only finding a huge Family Bible was a real frustration. Hard to do "bed time devotions" with a Bible that weighs twenty five pounds!!! So the next day I went to the only religious bookstore I knew and bought a black (of course) King James Bible (of course). It had pictures, gold edges, maps, and (of course) the words of Christ in red (good thing, I probably could have never figured that one out!). Anyway, I believe I still have that Bible.

Since I came to Christ via Campus Crusade for Christ, they recommend you start reading with the Gospel of John. Which I did. Then I quickly went to Genesis. My thought was, you start at the beginning of things, right? Right! So I read every day. Devouring as much as I could any time I could. It was like cold water to a thirsty man.

Then somewhere along the line, as the years went by, it mostly became academic and not "devotional". I read for sermon or Bible study preparation. I stopped feeding and simply began reading. Of course we all know what happened!

Today, as I read Psalm 16, I felt like I was feeding again! God was speaking to me. His word was coming alive to me - to nurture me - to strengthen me.

I could read the Psalmist's words and say --"you know what, that's what I needed to know today. What he is saying is exactly the kind of thing, that, had I kept that in my heart years ago, might have given me the anchor I needed to hang on. So learn it today Mac, you may need it tomorrow!"

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel..." (v.7a)