Stories part 2

Stories…Noah built an ark when he was 600 and then lived another 350 years. Abraham just about sacrificed Isaac. Moses brought plagues and took the Israelites out of Egypt. Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up as the number 2 in a foreign land. Joshua and Caleb were faithful…and finally brought the people into the “promised land” after 40 years of other’s griping. David killed goliath. He had some crazy mighty men with stories of their own. Samson took down a collaseum with his bare hands after having his eyes gauged out. Ruth stayed with Naomi and was redeemed by Boaz. Elijah got caught up in a chariot without ever tasting death. Daniel was thrown into a lions den. Shadrach, Meshack and Abendigo were thrown into a fire. Esther saved a race. Ezekiel had to strip down and stay naked for three and a half years. King Nebs ate grass like a cow for years and then was restored to his position as king. Jonah got swallowed by a whale after trying to commit suicide and then changed an enemy nation with a matter of words. Mary had a baby without having sex. Steven was stoned. Saul/Paul probaby ordered it, and then suffered more than I can imagine. Peter walked on water. John…beheaded.
 
Most of you if not all of you have heard all of these stories. I remember hearing of them in sunday school growing up with a watered down version so that we would understand. I also remember reading through them at other times in my life and seeing important details that I never really knew were a part of it. At some point in time I realized that I viewed these as stories…stories that I believed in fully with my head but there was a gap or separation between my life and theirs. They inspired, pushed, encouraged and challenged me. Yet, somehow these lives were hard for me to engage with completely in my heart because I felt like I just couldn’t completely relate. These people lived some crazy lives in some crazy times.