"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (Ps 19:14) –That's my prayer as I go through life making LaneWaves–
I snail mailed this to a bunch of people last year during the Christmas season but this year I thought I would put it to video. What is it you say? It is a story of Jesus visiting the innkeeper of the stable where he was born. While the story is completely fictional, it is very plausible and paints a vivid picture of what could have happened during that time. Take a few minutes and give it a listen. It’s the kind of thing that touches your soul.
You can also purchase an illistrated version of it here. Click here for a transcript.
From the website:
In this poem, John Piper imagines Jesus, two weeks before his death, returning to Bethlehem and visiting the inn where he was born. He meets Jacob, the old innkeeper, who years before had made a place for Joseph and Mary to stay. As they converse, Jesus hears what it cost Jacob to house the Son of God.
The Innkeeper is a moving story that has us look into the face of tragedy, as experienced in Herod’s brutal slaughter of little boys. Then it turns us toward the shining face of hope. If we have the eyes of faith to see it, the sting of futility will be forever removed from death.
So my journey through the Bible has me in Judges these days. Recently I was reading in chapter 3 and came upon a fun story about a fat man and a left handed assassin. You can’t make this stuff up. Who says the Bible is boring to read?
The people of Israel had once again “… did what was evil in the sight of the LORD…” and and the people were then servants of this rather large king for 18 years. The people finally called out to God who in turn raised up a guy to take out the king. I’m telling you, there have been many movies made from this text. Check it out for yourself.
15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit[1] in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes. 17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence. 20 And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. 21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. 23 Then Ehud went out into the porch[2] and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.
24 When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.” 25 And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor. (ESV)
Footnotes
[1]3:16 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[2]3:23 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
Bling, foreclosures, rising credit card debt, bank and auto bailouts, upside down mortgages and perhaps a mid-life crisis new Corvette—all symptoms of compulsive overspending. University of Michigan researcher Daniel Kruger says the answer lies in evolution and mating. He theorizes that men overspend to attract mates.
Okay, that is about the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Who comes up with this stuff? Oh right, it came from the University of Michigan. Are we not personally responsible for anything any more? Ugg. Read the full study here.
When I was young, the term “book worm” described me best. I read and read and read. I read at night (sometimes with a flashlight), during the day, instead of going outside and in the car going anywhere. I don’t remember at what age it started and I don’t remember at what age it trailed off but I know I read every book I could from the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Sugar Creek Gang, The Three Investigators, and The Black Stallion. I’m sure I’m leaving some out. From there I graduated to other SciFi books and dabbled in some Tom Clancy, Patricia Cornwell and John Grisham.
But I have to admit, I don’t read many fictional books any more. And as a matter of fact, I don’t think I could be called a book worm any longer either.
I do love to read still and will read an occasional fiction book but most books I read these days are either educational or spiritual formation in nature.
I am curious if you read, do you tend to read more in one category or another? Reading should spread across the three categories of entertainment, educational and spiritual formation for a well balanced intake.
So what consumes your time instead of reading more (or at all)? Here are some things on my list in no particular order:
Work
Household work
Church/volunteer work
Internet
TV/Movies
Incidentally the next National Reading day is March 2, 2009 which also happens to be my birthday along with Dr. Seuss‘. If you would like, you can buy me a book.
Let me end with saying if you don’t read, you only know what you know, and in my case, it isn’t always very much.
When you realize it’s never too late to right a wrong and never too late to right a wrong decision, you escape your past & set a new course. 2 weeks ago
From the website:
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