Sunday, February 1, 2009

We had a staff meeting at church last week and a couple of people were raving about a book called "The Shack." I've been hearing about the book here and there and was curious. Anna has the book and lent it to me last night. I am in the middle. Apparently I am not seeing what others are seeing. Years ago, I read a book called "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsh. The plot line was different but the form and message were basically the same - only "Conversations" was a much better read.

I had a hard time getting into "The Shack" because the author used so many adjectives that it distracted me from what he was trying to say. I found myself skimming over paragraph after paragraph of ornate descriptions of people, places, and things. At times it seemed that the author was more intent on being cutesy and cool rather than conveying a message. And there are some things in the message that I find a bit disturbing.

The hype around "The Shack" has me baffled. It smacks a little too much of "Jesus is my Co-pilot." (Yes, I know the response to that, but you get what I mean.) If one wants to explore and enhance his relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, there are better books out there. CS Lewis' books are marvelous - well written and theologically sound - beginning with Narnia and moving through his non-fiction books. (The Screwtape Letters is a favorite of mine.) And then, of course, there is always the actual Word of God. Nothing like going straight to the Source. :)
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Word of the day:
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Gospel
Mk 1:21-28

Then they came to Capernaum,
and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said,
"Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Isn't it interesting that the demons knew Jesus better than the people around him . . . better than we do. Getting to know Jesus definitely saps Satan's power, now, doesn't it.


God bless our troops!