But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:2

In 1800, 15-year-old Mary Jones walked barefoot 26 miles from her home in Llanfihangel-y-Pennant at the foot of Cader Idris to the town of Bala. The trek across the rugged mountains and landscape of North Wales was for a copy of the Bible in Welsh. The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist clergyman Reverend Thomas Charles supplied Welsh Bibles in the town of Bala. In the early 19th Century Bibles were very expensive. It took Mary almost 6 years to save up enough money to buy a copy of God’s Word in her own language.

When the young Mary arrived at Reverend Charles’s home, she was disappointed to be told that there were no Welsh Bibles available. Thomas Charles was so moved by Mary’s faith, dedication, and zeal that he arranged lodging for her until the new batch of Welsh Bibles arrived two days later. Reverend Charles sold her three copies for the price of one. The story of Mary Jones inspired the establishment of the Bible Society, which supplies foreign language Bibles across the world.

Mary valued her Bible and considered walking 26 miles for a copy of her own, worth the walk and effort. Here are some questions to consider.

1. If you lived in Mary’s time would you do what Mary did?
2. Is the Word of God of high value to you?
3. Is the Bible so precious enough to walk 26 miles to buy?
4. What does your Bible mean to you?