The Imposter by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Author:Suzanne Woods Fisher [Fisher, Suzanne Woods]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC053000, FIC042040, FIC027020
ISBN: 9781441245427
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2015-09-11T04:00:00+00:00

Over in the Big House, Freeman and Levi sat on a comfortable green couch on one side of the room, David sat on a stiff wooden chair on the opposite side. Freeman leaned forward to begin, his long wiry beard tucked against his chest, his fingers steepled together. “David, I understand that you have been instructing the schoolchildren to meditate.”

David wondered how word had trickled to Freeman so quickly, because he was certain that news hadn’t come from Birdy. But it didn’t surprise him; Freeman had eyes and ears all over the church. “I gave the students some suggestions about how to memorize Bible verses. Meditating on a particular verse, for example.”

“And you meditate like this?”

“Yes. Of course I do.” Oftentimes, as he would read the Bible, he would silently pray, confess, worship, untangle situations, and make resolutions. Sometimes he would just sit and listen. “Don’t you?”

“I object to the practice altogether.”

“As do I,” Levi said.

David was confused. “Of meditating? You object to meditating on God’s Word?”

“Of letting imaginations wander. Imagination is a gateway to the devil.”

A gateway to the devil? “The human imagination is an amazing God-given gift. Our world is full of examples of its redemptive use.”

Freeman wasn’t interested in David’s way of thinking. “You are leading young children down a dangerous path.”

“By meditating?” David couldn’t keep exasperation out of his voice. “Freeman, there are twenty-four verses in the Bible about meditating, mostly written by King David. It has deep roots in our faith. You’ll never convince me that meditation is wrong. Just the opposite. I think meditating and stillness are antidotes to a hurried, distracted, noisy life.”

“Meditation is far too advanced a notion for these young schoolchildren.”

“But everyone starts somewhere. Years ago, when I first read about the idea of sitting still in God’s presence, a good five minutes was about all I could handle. It’s only after years of practice that I can be still for extended periods of time.” These days, David found it didn’t take long to reset his attention to the work of God. Attention on God’s presence in his interactions with others brought a calm that helped him. He found he could be the father, neighbor, and minister he wanted to be—one who loved well. Whenever he found a moment or two, he would welcome God’s presence. “How else do we teach our young people to tend and keep alive the inner fire of God?”

Freeman rose to his feet. “If you continue to go into the schoolhouse, it is to teach the children Bible verse memorization. Only that.”

“Or?”

Freeman sighed. “David, must you challenge every single decision I make?”

“Yes. Yes, I think I must.”

Freeman strode to the door and opened it wide. “Good day, David.”

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