Assignment: Today’s challenge is two-fold. First of all, I’d like you to pick a book to read this week. You don’t have to finish it by the end of the week. Heck, I don’t even care if you ever finish it. You aren’t reading to finish it, you are reading to refresh your brain and excite your perspective. This week, I want you to commit to read for ten minutes a day. It can be out of the same book, it can be articles in different magazines, whatever you want. Just read.
For the second part of the challenge, I’d like you to write about one of your favorite books. Why was it your favorite? Which character stole your heart? Perhaps the character made you cringe or caused you to ponder their actions. Tell me all about it over in the Facebook group.
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I usually have a more than one book on the go. The first is the Bible, the New Living
Translation version. My intention was to
do a 90 day reading plan. I’ve lost count
of how many times I’ve tried to readjust and “catch up”. Reshaping my goal was the next best
thing. I’m reading my Bible, every
single day and plan to not stop until the final word of the book of
Revelation. I’m also reading the book
“Revolutionary Parenting” by George Barna and am participating in a study with
a couple other moms from church. Lots of
thought-provoking reading here. I’ve
just completed a couple of inspirational fiction novels and am about to start
some non-fiction browsing this week.
As much as I tried hard not to pick this book, I finally
conceded. The book to write about, the
one that moves me in a way worth penning, is the Bible. How utterly crazy that I tried to avoid this
book for a writing topic. I was scared
of sounding kind of cliché. You know the
type—the ‘Christian-woman-would-obviously-write-about-Bible-reading-duh!!!’
cliché. But when I tried to write about
a novel that I totally loved, the words didn’t come. I had to dig too hard, felt like I was mining
for gold or something. (Not that I never
have to search for words at times, but there are a few times when the words
should just pour out of you).
Yes, the Bible. I’m
currently in 2 Samuel, in the midst of David’s life. He has such a fascinating story. Chapter 6 still has me pondering, more than a
week later. “Michal’s Contempt for
David”; when David was bringing the Ark back to Jerusalem with great
celebration. It had me thinking about worship
on many levels. This was the second
attempt to move the Ark. The first time,
they did it without great detail and ended up quitting. This second
time, they were quite deliberate in their actions and in how they
proceeded.
There was an attitude of worship from the very beginning of
this journey, the atmosphere was one of worship the entire time. There was order in how the Ark was
carried. After the first six—6—steps,
there was a pause for sacrificing. There
was music and King David lead the procession himself, dancing ‘with all his
might’. While all this was happening,
his wife, Michal, was watching from her window and brooding. She went on to confront David afterwards,
highly upset at his display during his worship.
She was subsequently childless for the remainder of her life, as a
result of her criticism of David.
Oh, this story hit on so many levels. Do worship God with all my might? Do I ignore
convention and focus on worship God as the great Creator of the universe,
thankful for Him? Sadly, no, I
don’t. I get concerned about what I may
come across looking to others and worry about what they may say about me. I am at times stifled and hold back when
worshipping with others who are more sedate and showing restraint in their
worship.
Do I sit and brood while others are worshipping God with all
their might? Do I get upset; jealous at the attention they
give God and not me? Furthermore, why
would I choose to sit on the sidelines during a big worship celebration instead
of participating? Is there something in
my heart that blocks me from wanting to worship?
Lastly, do I confront other because their views of worship
differ from mine? Am I respectful of
their displays of worship? If not, why
not? Worship directed towards God really
isn’t my business. I don’t live the
lives of others. I’m not privy to their
joys and hardships, their trials and tribulations. God doesn’t share with me the things that
He’s working on with them. Of course
they’re going to have their own personal worship experience. I’d be in the wrong for attempting to squash
it.
