Saturday Toy

My mom has a cousin, an only child, named A.J. As he was growing up, his doting father, in the midst of his weekend errands, would occasionally buy A.J. a gift. Not for any specific reason or holiday, but “just because” – a concrete expression of parental love. This practice happened with such frequency that, on the occasion in which A.J.’s father returned from town empty handed, little A.J. asked, “Where is my Saturday toy?” The phrase was later adopted by my family, and used to indicate a little (or not so little) something you buy for someone just because you love them.

I think of this story now and again; how so many of us never quite outgrow the “What have you done for me lately?” mentality of our childhood. This especially seems to pertain to our relationship with God. Too often we focus on what we’re lacking rather than our blessings. (Take heart – Adam and Eve had this exact problem!) Our prayer life becomes God’s to-do list, and we’re all too eager to dismiss Him when we don’t get our way. Conversely, we can get so caught up in the what-can-I-do-for-God mentality (which so often leads directly into I-can-never-do-enough) that we feel defeated even before we start.

It seems to me that, just as the best way to get to know a person is to spend time with them, the best way to know God is to spend time with Him. And the best way to know God is to study His word.

I’m both amused and saddened by people who are intimidated by the Bible. They’ll say that it’s too difficult to understand, that it’s outdated and irrelevant in today’s world. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible is, in fact, populated with deeply flawed – and thus relatable! – characters, with many of the same issues and struggles we face in modern times. I’m also amazed at the number of times I hear a sermon, read a passage, or listen to a lesson that pertains directly to a problem I’m experiencing at that very moment. The scriptures even have a phrase for this phenomenon– a word in due season. The Bible not only reinforces my belief that the word of God applies to our contemporary lives (maybe now more than ever!) but also that it was written and handed down for us as the ultimate instruction book for life. My friend’s young son recently recounted a BIBLE acronym he learned in school -- “Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.”

Kirk Franklin’s song, “Looking for You,” refers to the Bible as a love letter. Scripture refers to Christ himself as The Word. The writer in me loves that description! I like to think of the Bible as God incarnate; centuries of holy wisdom passed on to each generation, not just for God’s own glorification but also for our edification, our encouragement, our discipline. It is a life map of sorts, with which to chart our journey and refer to when we’re lost or broken; given to us not because we deserve it, but just because God loves us.

Our “Saturday toy” - from our heavenly Father.