BINGO!

BINGO!

In case you don’t know about the Goodwill Industries Bookstore in Macon, you’re missing a great used bookstore. Every now and then, when Charlie and I are in that neck of the woods, we check out the latest deals!

The other day I found a book by author Richard Booker, entitled ‘The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread’. Since I had been doing research on this particular subject for an upcoming bible study, I was thrilled to add another commentary to our library.

I was intrigued by the personal note written on the inside front cover, which read in part. “Mitchell…this is one of the finest books I have found on the subject, ‘covenant’. It is one of my top ten or so Christian books. I hope it will be a blessing and welcome addition to your library also.”

The donor signed his name, but that was all. I read it to Charlie and commented, “I wish I knew who this person is and where he’s from. What a nice gift to give someone.” Those of us who are book lovers just naturally think; a good book is the best gift in the world.

The book still had that new feel to it and I was glad it wasn’t all marked up like some used books are. (I’m notorious for marking in books; but I don’t like it when I see other people’s markings – go figure!)

As I continued reading through the book night after night, I had to agree with the donor. The book was outstanding in tying together the loose ends of the blood covenant as set forth in the Bible.

One evening I turned a page and BINGO! There, hidden between pages 70 and 71, was a personal check for $40. Obviously Mitchell never read the book because the check written in 2005 had not been cashed.

Sorry Mitchell. You not only missed the blessings contained in the explanations and teachings of Richard Booker, but you also missed the monetary blessing intended for you by the donor.

To me the book was not only a treasure of words, but when I found that little check I was once again reminded that blessings come to those who diligently seek them.

How many of us miss the blessings that God Almighty has for us in His Holy Word? Instead of reading it, we leave it on the coffee table or night stand to gather dust. How many treasures have we missed this week, last month or even all year?

Hopefully we haven’t gone so far as to box up our bibles and donate them to the local Goodwill Industries. I’m always amazed at how many Bibles line the shelves of used book stores. Who owned these Bibles and why were they discarded?

While in Warner Robins last week we stopped and visited another favorite used book store, Gottwalls. They have a fantastic selection including, among other subjects, Christian titles, the classics, and everything you might want to read about the Civil War (one of Charlie’s favorites). Again there was shelf after shelf of new and old Bibles.

Some say they don’t understand the Bible and think reading it is a waste of time and effort. Oh, but if they only knew the author personally, it would be a different story.

Others complain that the Bible is a boring book and having read it once, think that’s quite enough. However, I contend there are treasures (better than a $40 check) tucked away on the pages of Holy Writ. There’s one slight catch. The treasures are reserved for those who are seeking them.

Jesus put it this way, “Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” The truths we find may be old or new to us, but amazingly we can never plumb the depths of the treasures contained in God’s Word.

By the way, it took a little detective work, but I finally found the donors of the little book. Their phone number had been changed in the last seven years, but they still lived at the same address.

When Mrs. Donor discovered that her husband had written the check, she was not one bit surprised. “My husband is such a giver,” she declared. “He’s always giving away money!”

I answered, “That’s great. He’s just like God…a giver.” “On the other hand”, I thought, “Mitchell was the loser”. How about us? Are we losing out today because we’re not searching?

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)