Reading Slowly

"Mom, have you started the book I gave you for Christmas?" Mom replied, "I finished it yesterday." I have been reading my copy of the book for about a month, Mother finished it in a day. I am a slow reader!

When I was in high school my parents had me take a speed reading course. It was a really good idea in preparation for college. They gave some really good pointers like don't move you mouth when you read, not even your tongue. For years I've tried to follow this advice, however, who am I trying to impress I am the slowest reader I know!

This month while reading through the minor prophets I decided to not only move my mouth while I was reading I decided to read it out loud. Not only read it out loud but with all the drama and passion I could find. Something happened, something wonderful happened. What I was reading came alive. I could see it, I could feel it. I could understand it ... better.

I could feel the agony of Habakkuk when I read "How long, LORD, must I call for help and You do not listen, and cry out to You about violence and You do not save? Why do You force me to look at injustice? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates."

At the same time I was dramatically reading this passage in Habakkuk I was also reading the book I gave Mother for Christmas. The title of the book is "The insanity of God A True Story of Faith Resurrected," by Nik Ripken. A description of the book read, "How does faith survive, let alone flourish in the places of life that are overcome with the darkness of sin, despair, and hopelessness?"

On the back of Nik Ripken's book in red letters is this question, "Will you follow Jesus even when it doesn't make sense?" The truth is anyone who wants to follow Jesus no matter who they are, or where they live must decide how they will answer this question. I have decided to use the words I find in Habakkuk. "Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines,though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, through there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stall, yet I will triumph in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights,