Bible Journaling

I have an Aunt who would have a heart attack if she saw me set my water bottle on top of my bible. I don't see a problem with it - it's a book with a sturdy cover, not something magical that will shoot lightning at me if it falls to the ground. However, I do have much more respect for what is inside the book. When it comes to the word of God, while we shouldn't be legalistic (like repenting if you accidentally spill coffee across the book of Job), I do believe there is a line that can be crossed where the bible is no longer held as sacred as it should be.

Bible Journaling, aka coloring in your bible, has flooded my Pinterest as of late and each time I see a page of a person's bible completely decorated with fancy lettering and doodles that beautifully express a verse in picture form, my heart sinks a little. 

Begin Rant:

 I find it so incredibly irreverent. Now when this person opens their bible to Psalm 23, they no longer see the word of God first - they see some pretty tea cups with steam swirls that turn into the words "my cup runneth over" covering the entire page. Why in the world a person would want to see their own creation first when they go to read God's word is beyond me. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Bible Journalling is a sin, but I do think there is a misjudgment on the Christian's part when they feel comfortable doodling over God's living word. For this very same reason I also don't like highlighting or underlining in my bible whenever an excited pastor tells me to. What if the next time I go to read Psalm 23 God wants to speak to me about something other than Him filling my cup? It's going to make it that much harder to read the psalm objectively. Now, I know there are special bibles made with large, blank margins on the side especially for journaling, and if a person wants to lay down $36 for one of these, that's their prerogative. At least they aren't drawing on top of the scriptures, although I would personally still find it very distracting. The truth is, as pretty as those teacups overflowing are, nothing we create will ever hold a candle to God's word, so I don't see the use of it being there to distract us. Give that teacup its own piece of paper and hang it up somewhere. There is no need to add to God's word when it's beautiful exactly the way it is. Of course, all of this is frustration is towards the practice of drawing in your bible - the one you read and study and go to when you're feeling lost and broken. You won't find what you're looking for when you open your bible and all you see is more of you. 

That being said, I absolutely love when individuals are inspired by scripture to draw or paint or letter. I've done it, and it can really help connect you to the scripture that is coming alive to you at that moment. I just feel that it should be done somewhere other than on top of God's word.

Rant end.