Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped outside before I settled into my Time with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith just as the sun was showing itself on the horizon and I thought about how most people would rather sleep than see the Hand of God in Living Color. When I eventually settled in with Him to see what He has for me today, His Word breathed Life into my Soul as surely as He breathed into my lungs. With it, I thrive – without it, I die. Every Word I read this morning had a special Meaning as if it was written just for me and I began to cry. My Bible is marked with notes and it is highlighted here and there so that I can refer back to a Message that resonated with me in the past. But the best “mark” on the pages of my Bible are the marks made by my tears – tears that flowed while the Master spoke to me – tears that flowed because I was overwhelmed in His Presence – tears of shame as He showed me my wrongs – tears of Joy when He reminded me of Forgiveness…and tears of Love. Isn’t that the way you “mark” the Word of your God too?

The Bible is one way God speaks to His Children, but it has to be read with the Heart and not just the mind. When it’s read with the Heart even the most unsuspecting Words can change the course of the Journey of Faith, but when it’s read with just the mind the messages get stuck there just like any other nugget of knowledge does. His Words only become Valuable if they are recalled with a Heart for Jesus Christ instead of an intellectual quest for more. Some people read the Word of God like a project – a methodical and structured Journey through His Word. There’s nothing wrong with using a manmade plan for reading through the Bible (in a year) but there’s nothing quite like opening His Word and letting His Spirit do whatever it wants to do to Speak to the Soul in that very moment. When too much structure is applied to the reading of His Word, the Spirit of God is hampered in unimaginable ways and it’s not likely the pages will ever be marked with tears because of it.

Many of our churches today run a tight ship and they adhere to rigid schedules focused on the revolving door of multiple services and coffee breaks in the church cafe. They are like well-oiled machines and you can set your watch to the time allotted for songs and sermons before you’re respectfully dismissed to make room for the next batch. Some of the focus on production has to do with the arrogance that comes with wanting things to look and sound “just right” and some of it is “necessary” to accommodate multiple services. But I don’t think the Living God cares much about having things “just right” or being on time for the next audience. I believe the God of all Creation would rather hear a heartfelt “joyful noise” than any song played by a “praise band”. I’m no expert, but I think the God of all Creation would be thrilled if we worshipped Him until the tears began to flow with no regard for time. I think the Most High God would love to see the pages of His Word become marked with Love. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we just let the Spirit move the way the Spirit wants to move – I wonder if the church staff would accommodate the interruption of their well-oiled machine? When being in His presence takes place by way of manmade plans and NOT led by the Spirit of the Most High God, He CAN’T speak to His people and it’s not likely you’ll find any pages (or apps) marked with tears.

My Bible is marked with lots of things but nothing as precious as those tears. When He speaks to my Heart, schedules are put aside and I’m eager to Hear what He has to Share with me. One day I’ll draw my last breath and others will look through my Bible because they know how much it was Treasured – and when they do, I pray they see the pages marked with tears – those places where Jesus spoke to me and my Heart overflowed with Love.

How about you?