"Every man [woman] is a builder of a
temple, called his body, to the god he worships,...
We are all sculptors and painters, and our material is our own flesh and blood
and bones."---Walden, Henry David Thoreau
A couple of years ago, the Dead Sea Scrolls came to my town. When I walked into the room where these ancient documents were exhibited, I became fascinated more by the reaction of the people in the room as I was by the scrolls. There were no signs saying lower your voice, become reverent. The room was very carefully controlled for temperature and light, but otherwise the room was simply a room for display. Yet, as people approached these ancient parchments, by reflex, without being told, they became silent, or at most whispered--they became reverent.
How to contact the ancients for strength and health
When I approach scripture passages like Nehemiah, I frequently read through the verses and the lists of names, feel confused, and take home no particular "moral of the story." But, there is something inspiring and reverence-inducing about letting my mind and spirit rub against the thoughts and prayers of those who walked the deserts at time of no TV, no movies, just the earth and prayer and a physical and moral fiber that seemed to demand more than does the present day. It seems that I'm drinking from a much deeper, cleaner stream, than a more modern day book of sermons.
When William Osler suggested (in his address to the graduating students of Johns Hopkins) that people spend 10 minutes a day with the scriptures as a way to toughen their fiber and inspire their spirit, it was not because of some particular moral lesson in every line. He suggested daily contact because just as people became more aware of the finite number of days and the presence of spirit by walking into the room where the Dead Sea Scrolls lay on display, in that same way, by simply opening the scriptures and reading a few words for 5 or 10 minutes a day (day after day), a person can make contact with the ancients and know a deeper presence that gives energy and direction to do what must be done.
The Purpose of These Daily Strategies
__ Nehemiah Chapters 5-8
__ Walk 3 miles: actual miles _____
__ 5 fruits or vegetables: actual _____
__ Virtue: Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
