Paper is dead!
Or so reads countless headlines across the Internet.
I love the digital age. Most of my reading is done on a screen in some format. I read on my phone, my iPad, and my Kindle. I love digital reading for a host of reasons. But a recent video by Tim Challies has made me reexamine one aspect of my reading.
Where I have been
I have primarily used a digital Bible for a few years. In case you are wondering, I really like the Faithlife platform and use Logos on a near-daily basis.
I love the fact that I can highlight, annotate, link a verse to a commentary, upload sermon notes and link it to a passage, and so much more on my digital copy of Scripture.
In addition, I always have those notes, links, and reflections with me through the apps. I still carry a physical Bible with me to church and take physical notes, but for my personal study, I always hold a digital copy.
While being digital definitely has its advantages, there are some things a digital copy just can’t do.
Where I am
In the video by Tim Challies, he holds the copies of Scripture read by George Muller, Amy Carmichael, and William Carey. It is obvious these Bibles were both well used and well cared for. They are worn and ragged because they were loved and treasured.
My Bible will not be placed in a museum for a future blogger to look through and film. I know that. But it may be held and treasured by my children.
It is for that reason I made a decision to invest in a Bible that will, hopefully, last me the rest of my life. I am only 32, so (hopefully) I will need this Bible for many years.
I personally read and study the ESV, so I wanted to see what Crossway, the publisher of the ESV, had to offer. I found the Omega Thinline Reference Bible to be exactly what I was looking for. Full disclosure: Crossway sent me a press copy of the Omega to review.
There are two reasons I recommend it, and any of their heirloom Bibles. First, they are made to last your lifetime and to be passed down to your children. They chose quality paper that is bound together in a way that is made to last. Then they covered it with goatskin leather to protect the pages and binding.
Second, it costs. I can get an ESV copy of the Bible on my phone for free using Crossway’s apps. But being made to sacrifice and save for something means you are going to treasure it more. I am currently saving money to purchase one for my wife so she can have a physical copy to hand down to our children as well.
If ESV isn’t your preferred translation, there are quality copies of the KJV, NKJV, NIV, and NASB available as well. I highly recommend Evangelical Bible. They have beautiful Schuyler, Cambridge, and others you can purchase for the best price anywhere. They are still costly, but they are worth it.
Where I aim to be
Even though I use my physical Bible for a daily study, I still have my iPad out next to it. I like having notes, questions, and reflections available on all my devices and so the iPad has become my Scripture journal.
I am convinced there is a balance to strike between using a physical copy of God’s Word and using technology as a tool to keep the study of it organized.
Over the years, I hope things will change and I’ll get better at holding that balance. But for now, this is the best I have come up with.
What I know is that when I pass away, this Bible will be like a map of my Christian journey. It will show where I camped out for long periods of time. It will show where I had struggles. It will show the verses I prayed for my children. It will be a testament to the fact I met with God in these pages and He met with me.
My prayer is that my children will see this and it will help them in their journey long after I have ended mine.
