Is A President's Library Better Than A King's?

Recently George W. Bush’s Presidential Library opened in Dallas, Texas.  Built on the grounds of Southern Methodist University, this beautiful edifice welcomed the public to tour the years of presidential challenges, decisions, and accomplishments.   

It’s been said that a Presidential Library is a place for scholars and members of the public to come, study, and judge that particular president’s place in history.  Anyone can examine the papers of a president and “get to know the man and his thought process.”   

These buildings are full of memos, letters, speeches, drafts of legislation, and exhibits revealing the particular president’s ideas, struggles, and executive decisions.  People can, and have, come to these places of historical information and studied for years in order to understand how these men affected history… and that got me thinking. 

Is a Presidential Library better than the Library of a King? 

There is a place where the thoughts, speeches, legislation, and actions of the world’s greatest King are recorded; a place where scholars and everyday people can come to study; a place where you and I can determine how that King affected history and even affects our lives today.   

That place?  The Bible.  In fact, the word “bible” means “library.”  In fact, if you look up the Spanish word for “library” you’ll find, “la biblioteca.”   

In this “place of books,” The Bible, every one of us can discover the thoughts, letters, songs, laws, and histories of The God of the Universe… The King of all kings.   

The Bible is not some old dusty book.  It is THE place to go to find out about the person of God Himself.  We can go there and study who God is and what He’s like.  This assembly of memos, letters, personal observations, and personal disappointments of God gives each of us a reference point for our own actions and beliefs about this wondrous King.  

“… you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”  2 Timothy 3:15–16  

“The teaching of Your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.”  Psalm 119:130 (NLT)  

If we can get so excited about a Presidential Library opening to give us access to the writings of a man, why are we not excited about spending time in the King’s Library?  Aren’t the words of God more significant for us than even the words of a president who is, after all, just a human being? 

I’ve been thinking that I should approach the Bible as a wondrous, treasure trove of information about how God loves me, what He wants from me, and how I can serve Him.  We can go to the King’s Library and make it our life’s work to study, obey, and teach all that the King’s Library reveals.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”    2 Timothy 2:15  

“For Ezra (and Len) had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances…”    Ezra 7:10  

So take a tour today.  Meet Moses, Job, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, John, Paul, and many other contributors to God’s Library… And maybe if we faithfully visit the King’s Library we’ll get to know God better...and get a cool tee-shirt that says, “I’ve spent time with the King today!”

 

Think about it….