I work in a public middle school library. We begin classes tomorrow. I wanted to promote a devo here that had something to do with school/reading. This devo about the origins of a famous book /author seemed appropriate. Besides the message of the devo think about this – God inspired this author to create beauty in prison.
It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth.” Ps 48:2:
He was born in an agricultural community and learned the trade of tinkering from his father. He led a dissolute life until given a Bible. The tinsmith devoured the contents and began preaching. In 1660 he was arrested for preaching without a license and spent the next 12 years in jail.
John Bunyan used the time in jail to teach the Bible to fellow prisoners. Jailed a second time in 1675, he completed a magnificent allegorical manuscript about Heaven. “The Pilgrim’s Progress” (1678) attained such enormous popularity that, together with the Bible, it was almost the sole reading matter by Christians for many centuries.
Jerusalem was not impressive in size. Mount Olives to the East was higher. Yet, God had declared Jerusalem a holy city. The Psalmist believed it represented the idea of God’s place above the world, where God met Man, and holiness and sinner were bridged.
A beautiful physical appearance is usually impressive. But God takes something as it is and sees what can be with His help.
Prayer: God, help us not to judge on appearance or manmade standards. You are the supreme Authority on what is good and acceptable and perfect. Help us to measure with Your ruler.
Writing of Kayleen Reusser 
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