If there was one person on the Internet I wish everyone would read, it would be The Internet Monk (imonk). Well, everyone needs to be reading The Realm of Possibility, but after that it would be Michael Spencer. The imonk doubles as the bartender for The Boars Head Tavern, which is another excellent site with characters at the bar with far wiser and more knowledgeable minds than mine, and Michael has a few additional sites as well. I first came upon the imonk a couple of years ago through one of Jared's post links at Thinklings. The link was to the first of Michael's essays I ever read and still my favorite. It's called When I Am Weak. I'd like to just print the whole thing here, but I'm sure it'd be appreciated if I didn't.
I'm generally not one given to breaking down and crying, but when I read the essay (for Christians it's a must-read), I was at a time in my life -- well, I could read it over and over, and it would be meaningful for me every time, so maybe I'm always at that time in my life -- when I really needed to hear it. I must have closed my office door and sobbed and prayed for over an hour. I then sent it to a few of my close friends/family to discuss with them. I just went and read it again, and I'm telling you, every word is a treasure. Maybe it's not for you, but it won't hurt to read. And then, if you like it, just dig in to the imonk archives as well as reading his current essays. Bet you'll like them if you appreciated When I Am Weak. There's no voice on the Net/Blogsphere that I think is saying anything more important. And I definitely hear Christ in his words.
I'm not saying it replaces Bible reading or study and research or prayer, but for me it supplements a lot of that. And it provides a Christ-like frame for me to go from. Right now, imonk just wrote his latest essay on N.T. Wright's book Jesus and the Victory of God. Like the imonk, Wright has given me a fresh perspective on Jesus' life through his writings, most specifically, The Challenge of Jesus, but I've started wading into the Christian Origins books, the first one at least. The major benefit has been a perspective of Jesus in the 2nd Temple Judaism world that I've never really received from sermons I've heard. Just a wonder. But it was through Michael, and Jared really, that I started in on Wright, and my life's been blessed for it. Amazing the effect that people you've never seen -- and really have no idea they've helped -- can have on you (or me in this case).
I've never said thank you in any of his comments, but I'll say it here and now for anyone who wants to see it: Thank You, IMONK!!! And thanks to Jared, too! You guys have been nothing but a world of good to me, and hopefully I'll be able to one day serve others as you guys have me.
[And by the way, if I've done anything unethical (using your picture or not linking - haven't figured out how to link/trackback or whatever that's called yet) regarding the Laws of Blogdom, I sincerely apologize. Just point it out and I won't do it again.]
The Internet Monk
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