Tyndale's prayer...Henry VIII's edict

Last night we watched "God's Outlaw"...and it left me thinking.  William Tyndale dedicated his life to translating the Bible into English, passionate to make it available to everyone in England. *

Tyndale was later executed (1536) for "heresy". His dying words were, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes." That prayer was answered.

Henry VIII had hounded Tyndale and others...but after "divorcing" England from the Catholic church, as the new "boss", he changed tactics.  In 1538 his royal edict ordered that "one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English" be allocated to every church in the country. Each was to be set up "in some convenient place whereas your parishioners may most commodiously resort to the same and read it".  Double-whammy for the Pope! The Bible in English, and everyone having the right to read it for himself.

I thought of the fact that many churches today have a stand or pedestal, usually at the front, with a large open Bible.  Does that custom derive from Henry's edict, a hold-over that continues into our times in some churches?  (I haven't been able to find any information.)
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Now let's switch spaces.  Where is the Bible "displayed" in our lives? In a position of honor? Do we often "resort to the same and read it"? Do we allow it to be "the largest volume" that others can "read" in us as they observe what we do and say?

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work". (II Timothy 3:16-17)  The Word is given to us to be digested, used and lived...not just read and set aside, not just heard and then forgotten.
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Even when evil takes place around us, we can relish the beautiful images this passage from the Bible evokes and wrap them around our hearts.  Our God says,

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is the word that goes out of My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."  (Isaiah 55:10-12)
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              Father, help me to keep your Word in its proper position in my life. 
          Thank You for promising "you will go out in joy and be led forth in peace".  
                                               You are AWESOME!!



(*In case you wonder, Wycliffe translated into English from Latin, Tyndale from the original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.)