THE BIBLE IN MY LIFE January 16, 2006 Issue

GROWING TO LOVE THE BIG BOOK

MARION PIERPONT

WHAT WE CALLED the Big Book on our family bookshelf held a strong influence over my growing-up years. Yet, instead of accepting that I was God's "image and likeness," as the first chapter of Genesis reassuringly told me I was, I was afraid I could never live up to that description. Me? Having God-given "dominion" to always do the right thing? God always seeing me as "very good"?

My loving parents clearly believed God was firmly ensconced in His kingdom. To me, that was somewhere very far away. Mom and Dad insisted that God knew and watched over all my thoughts and actions—rewarding or condemning them. During my bedtime prayers, I regularly asked for forgiveness and made promises to be better. Innocence can feel so intimidating! Sunday School was a wholesome environment, and yet that Big Book just wasn't speaking to me about being cared for by a truly loving God.

Later, an assignment to memorize Psalm 91 encouraged my trust that angels were with me "in all [my] ways" (verse 11). Yes, I imagined angels with smiling faces and feathery wings, until I learned that the correct part of that picture was me wrapped completely in their nonjudgmental love and kept safe—even in the dark! There was always some comfort in Bible stories about God and His family, though they still weren't a present-tense reality in my daily life.