Scrolling Through Life

Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 3:1

In John Bunyan’s classic allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian grows weary while clambering up a steep hill on hands and knees. Reaching an arbor, he finds a bench, sits down to rest, and pulls his scroll from his jacket. Falling into a deep sleep, Christian relaxes his hand and the scroll falls to the ground. Only later in his journey does he realize the scroll is missing. Falling on his knees, Christian asks God for forgiveness and then retraces his steps. Coming to the arbor, he weeps for having fallen asleep in the daytime in the midst of the difficulty and for having lost the scroll. But as he weeps, his eye spies his book under the bench. So joyful is he that he races up the hill nimbly, determined never again to fall asleep and lose the precious scroll.

Amid the difficulties of life, we often need rest, but we should never fall asleep spiritually or lose our daily habit of reading from the “scroll” of God’s Word. Be diligent at staying on God’s pathway. Stay alert, and keep your Bible close at hand.

God, as being very tender of me, hath not suffered me to be molested, but would with one scripture and another strengthen me against all.

JOHN BUNYAN