Stone Tables: by Orson Scott Card

I finished this book today.. It's beautifully written. If you can find a copy, I would highly highly recommend it.

Here are some of my favorite bits....

"In the end, after all the arguing and quarreling, after all the loving and embracing in life, we're alone, each of us, alone without any true friend who really understands us. All strangers to each other. All we want is someone else to truly know us."

"At first I admired her, and then I desired her, and then I was in awe of her, and then I honored her, and then I longer for her good opinion of me, and then I wanted to have what she had, which is to have a heart perfect before the Lord... I passed through each of these stages, and every single one of them is a part of love. Better than i loved either of my mothers. Better than I loved any of my friends, better than I love even you, Jethro. I love your daughter."

"But do you love her as much as you love God?" asked Jethro.

"Sir," said Moses, "I don't know God that well yet. I really only know that part of him that shines from your life, and from Zeforah's. How can I love God more than you, when part of what I love about the two of you is God in you, and in your lives?"

"she exulted in the moment, for there she stood, the perfect symbol of her people- bound and silenced, but still defiant. Look at me now and see Israel, ready for the Lord to come and redeem us from captivity."

"As long as you're faithful to God, his power will be with you. But when you rely on your own strength, or when you fight in wickedness, your strength will be no different from any other man's.... Don't ever come to love war, you sons of God. Love your Lord, the God of heaven and earth, and fight only in his cause, when he fights beside you."

"But you did know that the bright cloud of the Lord's presence stands almost directly overhead."

"Well, if a person can't speak her mind...."

"Perhaps a person should clean up her mind before inviting others in to see it.."

"Why me?"...

"I don't know.. why not you?"

"I've sinned."...

Moses answered with laughter. "If the Lord used only perfect men as his servants, he would go unserved."

----

"Every sin is grief to the Lord," said Moses. "I laughed at your thought that your sin made it impossible for the Lord to choose you as his servant. Do you recognize that your sins were sins, or do you try to make them into virtues?"

"No, I name them for what they are."

"Your life has been shaped to be a shadow, a harbinger of the life my my Only Begotten Son. A child prophesied, a son under the sentence of death, born to be at once a king and a servant, who grew into manhood and went out into the wilderness to meet his God and accept the mantle of his authority. A man who returns to his people and brings the powers of God to bear against all the powers of the world, and delivers the children of God from the hands of the enemy by bringing them through the water to a safe place. A man who saved them from death by the blood of the lamb, a lawgiver, a just and merciful judge, a high priest, a prophet, at whose command water and bread are given to the people. Because of your work, there will be a people ready to recognize the Only Begotten of the Father when he comes, and obedient enough to receive the higher law that he will bring. For my Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, full of grace and truth."

"I know who I am. A son of God, like the Only Begotten of the Father. Where is your glory, that I should worship you? For I could only see the face of God because his glory filled my body and sustained me, transfiguring my natural eyes. And this light that you scatter, it feels like darkness to me."

As if in an answer, the light that flashed from the man grew brighter and brighter, until Moses had to avert his gaze.

"I can judge between you and God... you blind me with your light, but God has enlightened me. I made my covenant with God that I would worship only him. Get away from here, Enemy, stop trying to fool me. I am here to learn from God and I have more questions i must ask him, and you're wasting my time when I need to be calling upon the Lord."

"The glory of God is on this mountain... so you have no need of food or drink."

"The Lord will carve new stone table, and write upon them, but what we'll have now is a lesser law, a law for schoolchildren."

"I will blot out the sinners from the book of life, but those who have chosen me, I choose forever."

'I tell you that the will of God was not thwarted by your mistakes."

"Yes your sin is grievous... Yes your heart will break. You have things to repent of, and by the gift of God you can be forgiven if you give yourself wholly to the service of God. Live to save his children! Live to teach his word! Every longing of your heart has been heard in heaven and even now the Lord holds out his hand to you and offers you the life you long for. You are already what you always longer to be. You already have the love of your God."

"I'm the man who didn't make the Lord my strength. I trusted in my arm and in my words. But now my ancient tree is fallen, now I'm a sapling branch that's green within your house. I root myself in you for ever and ever, I drink from you, for you have forgiven me."