AND THE SHOFAR BLEW

My favorite Fiction Author is Francine Rivers. Every one of her books that I have had the time to read has been a great book. She honors God throughout her writing. This week I just finished her book, "And the Shofar Blew" and it was one of my favorites. It was a long story, over 400 pages and it took me a few months to read. As I was waiting for my husband Jim to get out of surgery on Wednesday, I read the last chapter and as I came upon the last few pages I told Jim I better read it at home because I know it will bring tears to my eyes.

In the Old Testament, God called his people to action with the blast of the shofar, a ram's horn. God still calls his people today. In this relevant and timely contemporary novel, dynamic young preacher Paul Hudson is committed to building his church--but at what cost? As Paul's zeal and ambition build, he loses sight of the One who called him. As Paul and those around him struggle to discern what it truly means to live out their faith, they must ultimately choose between their own will or God's plan.

As I read up on the use of a Shofar it was interesting to see in the Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 3:4. that The shofar says, "Wake up from your (moral) sleep. You are asleep. Get up from your slumber. You are in a deep sleep. Search for your behavior. Become the best person you can. Remember God, the One Who created you."

Today, the shofar is used mainly on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is blown in synagogues to mark the end of the fast at Yom Kippur, and blown at four particular occasions in the prayers on Rosh Hashanah. Because of its inherent ties to the Days of Repentance and the inspiration that comes along with hearing its piercing blasts, the shofar is also blown after morning services for the entire month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish civil year and the sixth of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. It is not blown on the last day of month, however, to mark the difference between the voluntary blasts of the month and the mandatory blasts of the holiday. Shofar blasts are also used during penitential rituals such as Yom Kippur Katan and optional prayer services called during times of communal distress. The exact modes of sounding can vary from location to location.

I think sometimes we need a rude awaking in our walk, maybe we need to hear a Shofar once in awhile but I know we have something even better, we have the Holy Spirit to blown the shofar when we are straying a little off the path.

If you like fictions, I do recommend this book..


Cristina