Okay – here is the distraction du jour, and the reason I’m blogging right now instead of writing the Monday Morning Exegete, as is my wont on Monday mornings, and come to think of it, Monday afternoons as well.
I blame Anakin Skywalker. Or possibly John Williams. Oh, fine – iTunes.
Typically I listen to music, and usually to one of a handful of playlists as I work. The music is predictable, calming and helps me to focus. Today I decided to go out on a limb and shuffle all of my soundtracks. It was interesting – I skipped a few and took a some unexpected detours down Memory Ln, but then I found myself reading the prophet Malachi as the intro music to Star Wars Ep III: Revenge of the Sith came on. The beginning is typical Star Wars Intro Music, but it’s over seven minutes long, and it quickly gets dark and delightfully creepy. I had instant flashbacks to Anakin as the Young Apprentice Vader, in a crazy amount of familiar self-righteousness, cleanse the Jedi Temple. And while the eyes of my imagination are back in the theater with surround sound, I’m trying to read and comment on this:
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight– indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
It was freaky. And now back to work. Play. Whatever I’m calling it this lovely Monday afternoon – today perhaps I’ll call it The Thing Of Which I Am Behind.