Rick Trice: Read My Blog

(Note:  I am currently the "Chaplain" for our local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association.  One of my "duties" is to write a column for our monthly newsletter, and I thought you might like to see these here...enjoy!)

Chaplain’s Confessions - March, 2010

By Rick Trice 

Greetings to you, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! 

I recently acquired a “Kindle,” one of those new fangled electronic books, with which you can download the latest newspapers, magazines, or even best selling novels, almost instantaneously and carry up to 1500 books / reading material around in a little flat box roughly the size and shape of an average paperback.

 Of course, I “justified” the purchase by immediately downloading a couple translations of the Bible, plus a few devotionals and commentaries (after all, I am a “pastor,” and “chaplain,” right?  It’s a ministry tool!)  But I also used it to subscribe to a couple of newspapers that are automatically downloaded each morning.  I can then quickly scan headlines, and then click to read only those stories of interest. Scanning the Denver Post recently my eye caught the following headlines in quick succession:  “Superman’s Debut Comic Book Sells for $1 Million;” “Museum Displays Serial Killer Ted Bundy’s 1968 VW Beetle;” “More Senior Citizens Using Marijuana;” and “Obama Biography by New Yorker Editor Coming.” 

And then, grouped in with the same stories, was this item:  “Israeli Archeology Find Backs Bible Narrative.”  Recently a dig in Jerusalem has uncovered ancient fortifications that date back 3,000 years to King Solomon that support the Biblical narrative about Kings David and Solomon, and their era of strong government.  This, it seems, is in direct opposition to recent archeological theories that defined those men’s reigns as largely “mythological,” and historically there had never been a strong government system in Israel. 

Of course, my first reaction was “a-ha!” which it usually is when I read that science has once again proven the eternal truth of the Bible.  But then, I backed up and looked at the forest for the trees.  Here was the truth of the ages rising to the surface of a sea of flash-in-the-pan stories that will be relatively unimportant and forgotten (like “yesterday’s news?) in just a short time. 

My second reaction was realizing how much of our time and resources we waste in chasing after the latest news and tidbits of titillating gossip. 

Then my final reaction came back home to roost:  I realized that I (not entirely unlike the idiot who spent $1 million on an 80 year old Superman comic) had better be cautious how I use this new “e-book” in chasing similar trivia, instead of chasing God’s eternal truth!    “You must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free…” (James 1:25)

GRACE (“God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”) to you!