IN SOME parts of Russia today the authorities forbid anyone to have a Bible. However, a Bible was recently sent to a Russian village of 900 people and God blessed His word to these dear souls.
A Christian in a Russian town near the Polish border received a few Bibles which had been smuggled in. He was so thrilled with them that he decided to keep one, and send the others to Russian towns farther inland. He sent one to a Christian friend in a distant town and how happy the man and his wife were when they received the beloved Bible in the mail. Quickly they called a few other secret believers together and showed them the wonderful book.
“Thank God!” they cried, “somewhere there are brothers and sisters in Christ who have not forgotten us.”
But how could they share one Bible with more than 900 people! Passing it from hand to hand would mean no single person would have time enough to read it. Still they felt the village people must have God’s Word to read, to meditate on and to pray over. What could be done? There was only one solution. The believers sat down and carefully cut the Bible into sections Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc.
The Christians decided they could each keep one portion for themselves. If each made two hand written copies and passed them along to other people in the village who did not know Christ, and they in turn each made two hand written copies, they could keep one for themselves and pass the others to four other people. So it was, God’s Word in handwriting was multiplied and circulated through the village.
The people really read the much-prized sections of the forbidden book secretly, and God blessed His Word. Even the local officer in charge closed his eyes to what was happening. As long as they worked hard in the fields on the collective farm every day, it was all that mattered to him. Interest continued to mount in the village until the scriptures were circulated in nearly every home. Then small cottage meetings began to form in the town and for the first time in years the good seed of God’s Word took root.
Since that time many of the villagers have found Christ, and the village is in the grip of a strong spiritual awakening. On the other hand, there are many in Russia who are suffering in prison for their faith. Would you not like to pray for these dear Christians in Russia who are suffering so for Christ? We are told to “remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” Heb. 13:33Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (Hebrews 13:3).
How many of our readers can go home and pick up their Bible and sit down and read it, not in secret or in fear, but in liberty and peace? Is God’s Book precious to you like it is to these dear Russians, and do you read it every day? Let us thank God that He has given us the Bible and liberty to read it in this country, to love and to memorize its texts.
ML-03/25/1973