William Crumley was a Georgia Chaplain during the Civil War. He described how a committed Christian came to the Army and on his very first night read his Bible around the campfire, knelt on the ground and prayed even though some troops made fun of him. He was soon wounded at Antietam and carried off the field. As soon as he was able, he took his Bible from his pocket and kissed it repeatedly, “bathing it in tears and searched out the cherished promises of God.” He noted that “a new life was infused in his soul, which enabled him to bear his sufferings with true Christian heroism.” With a calm faith, Albert said goodbye and dictated a letter to his mother: “Take life or friends away so I would find them all again on that eternal day.”

Can you imagine kissing the Bible repeatedly because it is so precious to you? Do we have that kind of devotion to scripture and that faith which would allow us to “go down to the cold waters of Jordon” in death as the Chaplain wrote: The prophet was told in Ezekiel 3:3 to “Eat this scroll.” As he did, he noted that “it tasted as sweet as honey.” Over 1,800 of our people purchased the Word of Life Quiet Time materials in the fall and began a wonderful journey with God’s Word and prayer. This journey takes us through the scriptures over the course of several years with some of the finest, most concise commentary that I have ever read. It gives you a definite plan to read a section of scripture on a daily basis, make notes, and record prayers.

It is the first such material that I have ever seen, which is age appropriate for all members of the family. If you are a parent or grandparent, you will want to involve your kids in this study. It is the only way that we can prepare them for life’s battles and sustain them through temptations and peer pressure. Like the young soldier, it must be a discipline and a constantly renewed habit. If you have slacked off or been wounded in spiritual battle since you began using the Journal this fall, just pick up where the readings are now, not when you stopped. Make it up later. Let’s fall in love with God’s Word and the God of the Word. Pucker up!