Hidden Treasures
My husband knows me well. When he suggested we take a short break before our busy spring schedule, he knew exactly where I wanted to go—Hay-on-Wye, the booktown of Wales. Just 45 minutes from our home, this quaint village houses over twenty bookshops, each one more enchanting than the last.
From the outside, these shops appear modest—simple storefronts with basic displays. But step inside, and you'll discover a bibliophile's paradise. What begins as a single room lined with books transforms into a labyrinth of literary wonder. Through doorways and up staircases, around corners and down narrow corridors, each shop reveals hidden chamber after hidden chamber, each filled with countless volumes waiting to be discovered.
Jason, Tess, and I spent three days exploring these magical spaces. Between browsing sessions, we sampled local treats (the donuts were divine!) and took long walks around the town and on local trails. But the bookshops kept calling me back. I could spend hours discovering treasures in those hidden rooms, carefully examining centuries-old volumes and breathing in that distinct old-book smell that makes my heart sing.
As I wandered through another unexpected room in one of the shops, the Lord spoke to my heart about His Word. Like these deceptively simple bookshops, the Bible contains endless treasures waiting to be discovered. What appears on the surface to be a collection of stories and teachings contains layer upon layer of profound truth.
The apostle Paul understood this concept when he wrote, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7). God's Word is filled with hidden wisdom—treasures that reveal themselves only to those willing to venture deeper.
Think about it: we can read a familiar passage dozens of times and suddenly discover something new—a hidden doorway leading to greater understanding. Just as each visit to Hay-on-Wye reveals new literary gems, each journey through Scripture uncovers fresh insights and deeper truths.
The key is to keep exploring. Don't be satisfied with surface-level reading. Push through those spiritual doorways. Climb those biblical staircases. Round those scriptural corners. The deeper you go, the more treasures you'll find.
Perhaps you've been treating your Bible like a simple storefront, content with what you can see from the entrance. May I encourage you to venture further in? There are hidden chambers of wisdom waiting to be discovered. Precious truths are longing to be found. And unlike my beloved bookshops in Hay-on-Wye, these treasures are free for the taking and will enrich your life far more than any earthly volume ever could.
After all, isn't that what makes God's Word so amazing? It's the gift that keeps on giving, revealing new treasures with each page's exploration.