A new appreciation for an old story

Back in January I used a gift certificate to a large bookstore to buy a book I had heard about years ago but never had a chance to read. Hadassah, by Tommy Tenney, is a novel based on the Biblical account of Esther. I so loved the book, and have gone back to the Biblical book of Esther many times since. I recently watched the movie One Night With the King, rounding out my own little unit study on Esther. The story is so rich, with every element of a page turner. There's romance, tragedy, plot twists and even a little comedy....the picture of Haman leading Mordecai through the streets of the city proclaiming the King's pleasure in him makes me chuckle just a bit. I am left with a swirl of thoughts, applications to my life's situations are aplenty. I find myself longing to know God in a much deeper way. To be utterly consumed by devotion to Him. To conduct myself with wisdom and love for the people around me. I'm so thankful for the Word of God. For the rich and meaningful stories of the Old Testament. For the picture of humanity it paints--of people with flaws and hopes and dreams and trials and such...who serve and seek The Ancient One. The Beginning and the End. The I Am. What a gift to be able to read about people like Esther, like David, and even Saul, the first King of Israel. The treasures we can glean from their achievements and failures are precious, indeed.

I'm finished with Hadassah, at the moment, if you'd like to borrow it..... :>)