Papa is Good!

I recently read The Shack! What a book! Have to say that I have never cried reading a book, but I did this time. No, I sobbed! My heart was so moved by the story of a man who met God. Papa was God the Father and He revealed Himself as an older black lady. Wow! Amazing how the author put this story together and in such a way that spiritual truth was conveyed. I honestly don't understand how anyone would have a problem with such a book. So many have pre-conceived notions and understandings of what they think God is like. So many times those are misunderstandings. No matter, it is these that keep us from truly enjoying God! God is so cool and loving and amazing and if we are not careful, we will miss Him when He is standing right in front of us trying to show us something of Himself. I can see God trying to convey His heart to us in so many ways, but if we have formed a box that He doesn't fit in and doesn't speak to us the way we think He should, we will not hear Him. George Straight's song, "I Saw God Today" is an amazing song that conveys truth in it. Hmm... Go figure. God is speaking to us all the time - in a song, in a book, in a smile, in a child's face, in a stranger's voice, in nature, in stories such as The Shack. God is so much bigger than anything we can imagine and the boxes we make to stuff Him in is really our very own prison that keeps us from God. God has never and never will allow Himself to be stuffed in any box! Whether that box is well intentioned church or institution, a denomination, or any organization. God has given us so much because He loves us and wants to spend time with us. What a wonderful way to portray God as a big, older black lady who loves people and loves being with them! Wow!!! Papa is good! Always has been and always will be! Thank Papa!

Change Must Occur, but Will it?

Third Day's song, "Can't Take The Pain" is basically a song about what Peter experienced after denying Jesus three times. This song is so amazing as it hits to the heart of the remedy for dealing with sin and sinful actions. If we are ever going to deal with sin, forsake sin, and move forward, we must deal with our own sin at the gut level! It must be a deep down visceral experience that we have. Peter's pain was so heavy that he couldn't deal with it. When we truly see the fact that our actions, attitudes, and our hearts go against the Lord it has to move us on a gut level in that we see the seriousness of it. It has to be more than just hearing and recognizing our 'short-comings', it must be that we recognized that we have hurled hurt towards our God. It has to be seen as being what it really is, going against God, leaving our first love, abandoning our Lord. One would never think of adultery as a light thing would we. OK, maybe if it were someone else or even if we have been blinded by our own sin, we may think it light, but what if the doctor says, 'you have cancer'? Wow! Now we would feel that on a gut level. It's the same with sin. We must feel it on a gut level to the point that we find we can't stand the pain for it is so strong, so wrong, so hurting to us. Then it will be that we truly turn back to God in brokenness and with a repentant heart. It's now that we can get this thing right with God - our heart, our souls, our lives and move forward.

Random Thoughts

Greetings all! This is my first blog. Excited but also not sure about the how this all works.

The day started and has stayed beautiful all day. Had the pleasure of working with my son Colby around the house. Finished up in time to watch some SEC football! Yea! Awesome. What would be greater is if LSU were playing and winning. That will be determined next week.

As I was watching the Florida/Arkansas game, I noticed that the fans were focused on the field and the game rooting for their team. Rooting and cheering and yelling! Excitement fills the heart the week before with anticipation and desire for both the fans and the team. There is a unified coming together to win! I love it! What a huge illustration of what should characterize the body of Christ. A coming together in a unified effort to win! To win what you may ask? Relationships, marriages, friendships, battles with sickness and disease, trials and troubles, reaching people with the Gospel, and on it goes. There are daily battles we must face, personal relationships that need healing, need growing, need mending, and so much more. God has created us to be different, but there are those things in life that as followers of Jesus, we must be unified, rooting and cheering for each other as we press on for victory! Victory is ours, we just have to reach out and take it. Go Team! Let's get that 'W'!