三十多年來，我父親經常攜帶著他心愛的聖經，直到這本聖經因不堪磨損而裂成兩半。當我們將這本聖經交給書籍修復師重新裝訂時，他很好奇這本書有何獨特之處，為何需要費心修復。因為這不是什麼特別名貴的物品，而且許多頁早已寫滿密密麻麻的筆記。他提出來的問題，正好讓我的家人有機會與他分享福音，並且與他一起禱告。

聖經不僅僅是作為傳家之寶或漂亮的裝飾品，但更重要的是，其中有「永生之道」（約翰福音6章68節），因為上帝藉著祂的獨生愛子向我們顯現了。在約翰福音第1章，作者表明耶穌就是「道，道與上帝同在，道就是上帝」（1節），並且「住在我們中間」（14節）。聖經不但記述基督的生平，還記載上帝從最初創造世界到最終救贖人類的所有作為。

耶穌在世時，祂的教導、所說的話「就是靈，就是生命」（6章63節）。某日當祂講了一段深奧難懂的教導後，有些跟隨者便發出怨言，結果「許多人退去了，不再與祂同行」（66節，新譯本），但十二個門徒選擇留下，因他們意識到沒有別的話語能餵養他們的心靈。我父親對此深有同感！他的人生經歷很多高山和低谷，但上帝藉著聖經中的話語，使他獲得盼望、引導、安慰和真理。

My dad carried his beloved Bible for more than thirty years before the worn binding finally split in two. When we took it to a book binder for professional restoration, the craftsman was curious about what made the book so special. It wasn’t an expensive antique, and its pages were full of handwritten notes. His questions about the Bible created an opportunity for my family to share the gospel and pray with him.

Yes, the Bible is more than just a family heirloom or a nice decoration. Inside its pages are the “words of eternal life” (John 6:68) as God reveals Himself to us through His Son. The opening chapter of the gospel of John says that Jesus is the “Word [who] was with God, and . . . was God” (1:1). He’s described as making “his dwelling [home] among us” (v. 14). The Bible contains not only the account of the life of Christ but also all of God’s activity throughout the ages, from creation to its eventual redemption.

During His time on earth, Jesus spoke words that were “full of the Spirit and life” (6:63). When He gave a difficult teaching and the crowds grumbled and many “turned back and no longer followed him” (v. 66), His disciples chose to stay. They realized that no other words could satisfy. My dad felt the same way about his Bible. Through many mountains and valleys in his life, God provided hope, direction, comfort, and truth through the words of Scripture.