Bleak House

Well my friends, I did not reach my goal of finishing Bleak House, before the end of January, but I am still faithfully chiseling away at it. It is a very good book I think. The character of Richard Carstone is extremely meaningful to me in that it mirrors our everyday battle with sin. He is mesmerized by a court case in which he is a party. He is driven to watch and wait and work in whatever degree possible to ensure his desired outcome for this case. All of his energy, his passion, his money, and his life is being drained away by hope, false hope in this court case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce. It reminds me of myself, or any human being for that matter, pining away after things of the flesh. Waiting and hoping for some euphoric happiness or pleasure that is never going to happen. When we put our energy and our hope in the things of this earth we will perish. It will suck our lives away. We need to put our hopes on things above; I need to trust in the promises that I know are true and banish the lies that would so easily entangle.
Another character that I can see myself in is Lady Dedlock. She is pining away also, for a more interesting life. She is bored and dissatisfied with life. She has a shady past and is terrified that her husband will find out. Her greatest fear is to bring shame to her husband and his house. What she does NOT know or realize is how much her husband really loves her. He loves her far more than the family name, far more than his pride, and far more than she could ever realize. Sometimes I get discouraged when I think of how often I make mistakes and bring shame to the name of the Lord. Often I forget, however, after I've repented, how much the Lord loves me. I don't have to fear shame, or fear his rejection. He will never reject me. He loves me and has promised me that there is nothing in this world that can separate me from his love. Hallelujah!