19 Nov, 2010
What's the Real Story?
When you see the picture below, what comes to mind?
Obviously, it's a castle. But don't you find yourself wanting to know more?
Where is it?
How old is it?
Who lived there?
The answers might surprise you ...
The castle has been a Central Kentucky curiosity for more than 40 years.
Lexington contractor Rex Martin Sr. started building the castle in 1969, but it sat unfinished and empty for decades.
Then a Miami lawyer and a graduate of Lexington's Lafayette High School and the University of Kentucky, bought it for $1.8 million in 2003. While it was being restored, a May 2004 fire burned the house.
In 2008, it opened as The CastlePost, a luxury bed-and-breakfast, to guests, who could make use of a swimming pool, tennis court and grand ballroom. It has 16 rooms for overnight guests that range in price from $325 a day for the State Room to $1,250 a day for each of the four "Royal Turret Suites."
Photo from images.google.com.
Story excerpt from kentucky.com, Nov. 5, 2010.
16Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." 17The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; 18for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." 19The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." 21Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." 26Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
In today's story, most everyone probably assumed a story very different from the real story behind that castle. In all honesty, there is even more to the story. I attended college not far from that Kentucky castle. There were many rumors that circulated over the years of the famous people who owned the castle. Then one day, the real story was discovered. The man who built it, built it for his wife. Unfortunately, he became so consumed with the castle, the marriage fell apart, they divorced, and the castle sat empty for years. Sometimes, nothing is as it seems.
In today's God's Story scripture, there was an element of surprise going on between the woman at the well and Jesus. The woman was surprised that Jesus would even give her the time of day because she was a woman, and she was from Samaria. It was probably running through her mind that she was thankful he didn't know her whole story. BUT HE DID! And it didn't matter, he still accepted her and loved her unconditionally.
Jesus knows your whole story! Even when we try to hide what's really going on in our lives behind the walls we build, Jesus knows. And he loves us just the same. Take some time this weekend to sit quietly with Jesus and talk about your story with Him. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He points out what areas of your life you might be trying to hide. Thank Jesus for his constant presence in your life.
How can I connect Today's Story, My Story, and God's Story to Others?
Do you have some friends in your life who are trying to hide the real story of what's happening in their lives?
Maybe it's someone whose family is a mess and they are afraid to admit it.
Maybe it's someone who has allowed a relationship with someone to become unhealthy.
Maybe it's someone who is pretending to have a close relationship with Jesus, but the real truth is, they don't really understand what that means.
Take some time this weekend to pray for those friends. Spend some time with them, and when it's appropriate, let them know you know the real story. When they see that you accept them in the midst of their messed up lives, they will get a taste of what it's like knowing that God accepts them, and loves them, for who they are.
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