The Shack

I think this is one of the most controversial books I have read in a while - most of my email groups have an opinion - usually on the lines of proceed with great caution and only if you have to read it. The introduction I have from a friend - it has a bit of an unusual take on the trinity but its really good for getting you to think. (This same friend passed me "So you don't want to Go to Church Anymore" a while back and I valued its timely reminder that Jesus is not the church, and its him not the church that we as Christians are here to serve.)

Halfway through and I'm enjoying it. It challenged my reality of unconditional love - I knew I didn't live in that reality, I just needed a challenge to show me how far from that reality I am. My head speaks of God's unconditional love, my reality is a life trying to keep everyone around me happy, to meet expectations and to try and make the grade. Hubby was already half way through the book before I picked it up had said it would do me good. On this one issue alone it was worth wading through the icky introduction to the story.

I've found it affirming, God all powerful all knowing all loving - yet honest and respectful in relationship with us. God - who is who he is, not needing or desiring the human hierarchies that in my experience often do more harm than good. (I have to go a long way back in my walk with God to find a church that trusted God, affirmed his word and lived what they read in his word.
Church politics definitely sets of warning bells around here.)

God who sits at that point, often just out of my comprehension where his sovereignty, and our free will can co-exist and yet not diminish the reality of either. Where sin is always wrong and evil, and yet can be redeemed and transformed beyond our understanding to bring out what is truly good. Redemption that occurs with relationship, understanding and God's forgiveness nad mercy. God who understand that our lives are messy, our images warped, and our relationship with him full of presuppositions that come from our families our world, our churches. Maybe I have yet to get to the controversial stuff, or maybe the writer assumes we have already grounded ourselves in the head knowledge of our faith and simply need a shake up to engage our hearts. After all relationship isn't a purely intellectual exercise.

I'm looking forward to wresting it off hubby and finishing my read ... in truth I'm playing of Blogger simply to avoid taking the book away from him.