MVO and the B-I-B-L-E

In the early 60’s when I was learning to read, it was a big deal when my Dad asked if I wanted to read the Bible for family devotions. That was when the King James Version was just the Bible before we were aware of something as ludicrous as making a new one. Since elementary school, I have been reading the King James Bible, memorizing the King James Bible, doing Bible Drills with the King James Bible, (you have to know all the books of the Bible in sequence) and listening to others preach out of the King James Bible, and I would say, probably most believers in their 60’s had similar experiences.

So along come my sons and daughter in the late 70’s, early 80’s and 90’s and when they were old enough, they read the King James Bible for family devotions. Now my elementary school grandkids read the King James Bible for family devotions. Five generations altogether and four generations of elementary school age kids have grown up reading the King James Bible in family devotions.

I have said many times that reading the King James Bible when I was a kid made me a better reader overall. Reading Scripture in family devotions moved you as a by-stander to an active participant. And not only a participant, but one who shared in providing the most important part of family devotions, hearing what God had to say to us in his word. It was a big deal. Sure, everyone gets help, but in a surprisingly short amount of time, reading the King James Bible was like riding a bike. It’s challenging when you’re young, but it’s the challenge that makes you better. This happened at family devotions after the evening family supper. Everybody’s schedule is different, but this was ours. The Dads are always there to help. There is no earthly influence with more power than a godly Dad.

This bit of reminiscing prompted me to wonder, “Do MVOists sing ‘The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the Book for me? I stand alone on the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E!’” We’ve sung the chorus in Sunday School, Bible School, and summer camp. In the current post-critical milieu, is the popular chorus still in vogue? or has it undergone historical critical clarification and now exists in one of its multiple iterations and revisions. Is “yes that’s the book for me” overly dogmatic and presumptuous? I suspect one iteration might go as follows, The B-I-B-L-E-A-D- I-N-F-I-N-I-T-U-M, Yes, those are the versions for me! I stand on all of the versions I call the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E-A-D-I-N-F-I-N-I-T-U-M!

Blessings!