Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday February 2, 2010

When I was a very young child I came across the ultimate escape mechanism; reading. Early on I learned to place my imagination into the landscape and the actual feel of the events taking place, at least imaginatively. I desperately wanted to meet Zane Grey who wrote of our wide open spaces and even more wide open people.

I was about eleven years old when I first attempted to read J.D. Salinger's famous book, "Catcher In The Rye." I chose to read the book mostly because it was forbidden. I admit to being a rather ignorant child and thus I missed many of the deep nuances. Over the years I picked up on most of them as I re-read the book.

The week just past brought the news the quintessential hermit, Mr. Salinger had as the Indians say, walked on. I recalled a statement he had his main character make:

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it." J.D. Salinger's Holden Caulfield, "Catcher In The Rye"

It is not unusual for avid readers to have a desire to speak with authors whose work they have read.

I have the same sense of wonder when I read the Bible. I'm sure many will be offended or at least act so, to my comparison, but I would love to sit down and talk with John about the revelation and how he coped, even overcame the mind numbing pain of living naked on Patmos. Or of Paul and how he maintained any sanity at all having been beaten nearly to death three times, plus his many close scraps with death as he served Christ.

And what would I learn from the "others" mentioned in the Hebrews 11 Roll Call of Faith?

One of the grand things associated with reading and musing on the scriptures is the sense that we are in the presence of the Lord and on occasion as we read over a portion that we have read many times before and a new light comes on. We have at that point "dialed up God" and he is giving firsthand insight to His meaning. I wonder why we don't do this more often? He is always ready. Because of Christ's sacrifice we have continuing access.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit.

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