Let’s be honest—most of us have easy access to a Bible.
It’s on our nightstand, in our phones, in our backpacks. We can scroll through Scripture while waiting in line at the grocery store.

But here’s the hard truth: it wasn’t always this way.

The Bible you now hold—whether it’s digital or printed—was fought for. People bled for it. Some were arrested. Some were tortured. Others were killed. All so that you could have the freedom to read God’s Word in your own language.

And yet... too often, it just sits there.

Let’s take a step back.

The Bible isn’t just a religious book. It’s the most influential book in history. It’s shaped governments, sparked revolutions, built schools, ended slavery, and fueled movements of justice, mercy, and freedom around the globe.

The modern idea of human rights? That came from people who read the Bible.
Education for all? The Bible.
Hospitals, orphan care, even the concept of forgiveness in law? Rooted in the Bible.

This book didn’t just change individual lives—it changed nations.

Now meet John Wycliffe and William Tyndale—two men who believed everyday people deserved access to the Word of God.

John Wycliffe lived in the 1300s. Back then, Bibles were only in Latin—and most people couldn’t read Latin. Wycliffe risked his life translating the Bible into English so ordinary people could understand it. Years after his death, church leaders were still so angry at him that they dug up his body, burned it, and scattered the ashes in a river.

Then came William Tyndale in the 1500s. He took it further, translating from the original Greek and Hebrew. He smuggled English Bibles into England—hiding them in bags of grain. His reward? He was betrayed, arrested, and burned at the stake. His final words? “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

And guess what? Just a few years later, the King allowed the Bible to be printed in English.

Their deaths weren’t in vain. But their sacrifice reminds us: this Bible we take for granted cost people their lives.

Fast forward to today.

There are still parts of the world where owning a Bible is illegal. In some countries, people are thrown in prison just for sharing Scripture. Others have to memorize entire books of the Bible because they can’t own a copy.

I once heard a story of believers in China passing around single pages of the Bible like they were treasure. Some would read a chapter, memorize it, then pass it on to the next person.

Meanwhile, we’ve got more Bible versions than we can count... and most of them go unread.

We’re not meant to feel guilty—but we are meant to wake up.

The Bible is a gift. A powerful, life-changing, world-shaping gift.

So let me ask you:

When was the last time you opened it, not out of duty, but out of hunger?
When was the last time you read a verse and let it speak to you?
What if we started treating the Bible like it really is—the living Word of God?
This book is alive. It still changes hearts, still heals wounds, still brings hope. But it only works if we open it.

The Bible you have today came with a price. Not just Jesus’ blood, but the blood of faithful men and women who believed that God’s Word should be available to everyone.

Let’s not waste what they died for.

Let’s open our Bibles like our lives depend on it—because in many ways, they do.

Want help getting back into the Word? Start small.
One chapter a day. One verse to pray through. One moment to pause and listen.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start.

Because once you fall in love with Scripture, you’ll never be the same.