My Comfy Shirt & Tattered Pages

In the spring of every year, I anticipate the time when I can put on a pair of flip flops or walk in the lush grass barefoot. I enjoy every minute of gathering natural Vitamin D. And true to myself, every fall comes and I can’t wait for the moment that I can start to layer, wear cozy socks, put on a big comfy shirt and enjoy a cup of steaming hot coffee. 

There is nothing better than pulling on that oversized, well worn, perfect fit comfy shirt or sweatshirt when the weather finally allows. Comfy shirts take time to develop. They are usually well worn, sometimes have a stain or two and most often we don’t give them up until the cuffs are starting to unravel and more. 

I often spend extra care on laundering my comfy shirt as I wouldn’t want to lose all the great qualities that it has. I struggle when I finally resolve that my shirt has to go and I need to work on gathering a new one. 

Most of my life I have spent the same care taking care of my Bible. For years I have struggled to mark up or highlight in my Bible and still do. I know the Bible is a working tool to study God’s word. It brings a huge amount of comfort to me. However I want it to last forever just like my comfy shirt so I hesitate to mark the pages. I have slowly over time started to as I can see how the words written tie together and resonate with my life today.

I remind myself that those marked up pages, torn pages and tattered pages are my comfort and reassurance. Every word that God has written in the Bible is an affirmation of his love for us, his children. The pages contain the answers to my needs. They help me to solve my struggles. They remind me that it is all in his hands and to let my worries go. 

As sinners we are full of stains. We are full of holes. We endure days of unraveling. But what a comfort to know that in the tattered pages of our Bible, God affirms to us that he will remove our sins, he fills our voids and gives us the strength for whatever we face. 

I encourage you when you open your Bible each day to remind yourself that it is  like your comfy shirt and it will bring peace and joy to you.The tattered pages of the Bible will always be there and never thrown away like the shirt that no longer stays together. Even if someday you add another Bible to your collection, the one so tattered will still be a source of comfort reminding you of the times you read through and was comforted by God’s word.

Psalm 23:4

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me: your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Contributed by Jessica Clemens