#1 Best Seller

    “A Friendly Shade” often finds me reading a good mystery/romance novel.  The one I just finished was listed as “The #1 New York Times Bestseller,” and it was described as “Engaging, quirky characters, a captivating setting, intriguing plot, witty dialogue, and sizzling romance.”

     I don’t know if I would classify it as a “Number 1” best seller, but I do know a book that has been in circulation much, much longer and has been read by many more people, and I would definitely classify it as the “Top #1 Bestseller” in all of history.  This book draws the reader back to it time and time again.  There is no end to how many times you can read this book and keep coming back to read it again. 

     I would further describe the various stories in this is book as “Engaging, quirky characters, captivating settings, intriguing plots, witty dialogue, and sizzling romance.”

     Let me defend myself.  Within the pages of the Bible there are quirky characters.  By definition, quirky is "out of the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion; an unusual habit or way of behaving."  That would describe Noah.  Out in a desert land where there had not been rain, we find a man building an ark.  The people scoffed; they laughed and thought him a fool.  I am sure there was some witty dialogue among the scoffers and those who passed by as Noah sawed, hammered, and nailed.  The plot gets thicker as he marches animals of every kind into this huge completed boat.  Then the rains fall.  No longer did the people remaining outside the ark scoff and laugh.

     We also find Moses who followed God’s instructions when, time after time, the Pharoah agreed to let the Israelites go and, at the last minute, changed his mind.  The intrigue builds higher when the Pharaoh’s army charges after the Israelites.  Moses holds his staff and the waters of the Red Sea divide.  What a miraculous event!   

     Envision the scene with Jonah!  Think about the setting.  Here was a man thrown overboard into the sea and got literally swallowed by a huge fish.  Remarkably, after Jonah repented and decided to follow God, the fish spit him out onto the shore. 

     What about the setting of the story about the fiery furnace and the lion’s den?  Engaging! Captivating! Intriguing!

     I cannot leave out the sizzling romance.  Remember David and  Bathsheba?  Herein, not only lies romance but deceit and murder. A man after God’s own heart created a story line for repentance.   

     Samson and Delilah created a story of what should have been romance and true love, but it was filled with betrayal.  

     Image the romance that must have occurred over the span of fourteen years as Jacob worked for Laban in order to marry Rachel.  Again, after the first seven years, there is deceit when Leah is disguised as Rachel and Jacob marries her instead,  and then he is forced to work another seven years for the hand of Rachel.

     There is courage and fear within the story of David and Goliath.  Envision the scene!  The mighty army was shaking in fear over one huge giant of a man called Goliath.  It took a small boy with a sling shot and one small stone to bring the giant down. 

     There is no way I have touched on all the stories laid out in the book of the Bible that are "engaging, with quirky characters, captivating settings, intriguing plots, witty dialogue, sizzling romance.” and the descriptions given here do not cover them all or even do the book justice.  So many stories!  So many different settings! So much intrigue! 

     There is the wall of Jericho with spies, trumpets, fear, and a mighty shout.  There is deceit when Joseph was sold into slavery, and again when he was lied about and thrown into prison. There is mystery when Moses was found in a basket and rescued by the Pharaoh’s daughter.  Who was this child?  And who, mysteriously, was called to tend and raise the child? 

     We have talked about romance but what about true love?  There is the story of Ruth who left her family to take care of Naomi and then found true love herself with a man named Boaz.  

     Yet, there is one other story I must mention.  It is the most important, the most intriguing, and the most engaging.  This is the story of real, true love not like a love as humans know it.  This love is much greater.  The story starts out with an infant child, being born in a manager.  The angels and the stars announce this great event.  This child is wise.  He grows into a man who could be a King, but he chose  to live a simple life.  He walked the land with no home to call His own.  He healed and did miracle after miracle, yet deceit evolved.  This man, called Jesus, had so much love for those who followed Him that he was willing to give up His very life.  Jesus allowed himself, the very Son of God, to be nailed onto a cross in order to save sinners like us, so that we can have life eternal. What a truly, great indescribable love story!  What is even more captivating is that He rose after the 3^rd day.  He is alive! 

     Please read this book, Bible.   It is the “#1 Best Book” in all of history.