Yesterday morning (Saturday) I awoke at 7am, made a cup of tea, and relaxed in my reading nook for hours until 11. It is my favorite way to spend an entire morning!  During this time I finished The Battle of the Labyrinth, Book 4 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  Reading these books is a fun way to escape into a world of fantasy for a couple of hours where Greek gods and goddesses still live, and their demigod children live to fight their foes.  Before you get super-spiritual and try to stone me for reading such hedonistic literature, please get off your high horse, and know that the author is a Christian and does keep the gods and goddesses in their place.  These are books for older children, and he gives his readers perspective that there is only One true God, while still teaching Greek mythology in an engaging fantasy story.

In this particular book, a war was stirring between the forces of Kronos (the bad guys), and the Olympians (the good guys).  Kronos is ticked that his sons (Poiseidon, Zeus, and Hades) overthrew him ions ago, cut him up and imprisoned him in Tartarus. However, over the last few years, Kronos has been reforming, gathering his army, and a war has been brewing.

I would like to highlight one conversation in this delightful book.  The goddess Hera was talking with Percy and Annabeth about “watching the minor gods”, those who play smaller parts than they would like to play in the universe. Hera’s concern was that some of these minor gods could be swayed to Kronos’ side because they didn’t have true affection for Olympus.  Hera said, “They give lip service to Olympus, and yet—“ …. “You see, in times of trouble, even gods can lose faith.  They start putting their trust in the wrong things, petty things.  They stop looking at the big picture and start being selfish.”

If this isn’t a picture of the American church, I don’t know what is.  I think this parallel is incredibly true. There are many who although they may think they play major parts in the kingdom of God, and in ministry may consider themselves spiritual big shots, in reality they are just “minor gods”, who wish they had a bigger part to play to boost their ego.  They wish their names were in lights.  They may give lip service to God… “they honor Me with their lips but their heart is far away from Me” (Matthew 15:8).  They have little true love for the Kingdom, but rather, love for themselves, and their kingdom, and in reality, they could be easily swayed to support the other team.  And in actuality, perhaps without meaning to, they do serve the other team, because whatever is serving self is not serving God, and if you aren’t for Him, you are against Him. You can’t have two masters.

“They stop looking at the big picture and start being selfish.” I think so many forget whose kingdom they are supposed to be building.  They forget that they are supposed to be building God’s kingdom and worry more about how many they have in their group, their bible study, and their church.  They equate numbers of people to success, and lose sight of the big picture, and start being selfish.

I just want to highlight a couple of Alicia’s fabulous points in this book.

“I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29&30

Alicia writes, “In this passage, Jesus teaches us that the source of true rest is submission to His gentle leadership. “But,” we may ask, “if serving Jesus leads us into rest, who do so many of us who follow Him still feel deep weariness in our souls?”  Perhaps in part because we submit to many other things besides Jesus.  Such as… worry, other people’s expectations, bitterness, legalism, ambition, and fear.  These masters are merciless.  They take and give nothing in return.”

Regarding times of silence from God, Alicia writes, “There Elijah saw a shattering wind, an earthquake, and a fire, “but the Lord was not in” them.  During these three powerful events Elijah heard NOTHING—which could have been a bit frustrating.  So perhaps we should not be surprised when we hear nothing also. And perhaps we should be encouraged that in the midst of silence—even when it is the last thing we want to hear—something in the waiting still works to strengthen our souls. “

“As we journey from collapse back to a point where we have strength to obey, let us be careful not to underestimate the desert.  The mountain is amazing, but the desert is equally full of God’s presence to refresh our lives.”

Coming from a summer that felt like a place of collapse, these words brought true comfort and refreshment.