Discovering God in the Shack

Well I am reading the Shack for the third time. What an amazing book.  It challenges so many mind sets.  

Religion vs. relationship.  That is the real issue.  Religion is safe and well defined and causes our natural being to say,  "Oh yes!  I can try to follow these guidelines and I will be able to to judge my progress and others."  

Relationship invites the heart to be real and open.  Relationship is based on love and freedom.  Religion is based on fear and control. 

Religion says,  "You can feel good about yourself because you have done all these things."   Relationship says,  "You can feel good about yourself because you are loved."    

Art by: Janice Seney

Identity

Identity - defined as "the set of behavioral or personal characteristics by which an individual is recognized"  the condition of being one's self and not another" or "Oneness!"

Often we think identity is based on traits that have been shaped by family and society but in fact, true identity is being the original you.  

A solid oak fireplace mantle that was created by a master craftsman is a beautiful work of art.  The trends of society redefine it over the years.  After thirty years and several layers of paint, it takes on a whole new "identity" yet the truth is that under all the layers of paint and years of use and abuse there lies a beautiful work of art.   The core identity never changed. 

The "I" in identity is the key.    You can take a pig, dress it in a king's robe and call it a prince but at the very core of this new identity is "I am a pig." 

You can take a person that was designed and created by the Master and after years of living, he has been redefined by life, sin, relationships, and circumstances.  Yet at the core is the original master piece that needs to be placed back into the Master's hands so that He can start the restoration process of returning that person to their true identity.   At the core is, "I am a person created by God and loved by God. "  God demonstrated the truth of that when He sent His son Jesus to die for mankind so that we could be redeemed (rescued, reclaimed).   

God immediately begins the restoration process.   His ultimate goal is to restore us to Himself; spirit, soul, and body.    

Restore - "to bring back to a previous normal condition,"  "to put someone in possession of a prior position or office."     The word restore implies renovation, repair, and making good any dilapidation, returning to a former state of wholeness. 

Art by Janice Seney

 

Let the Journey Continue

The ball rolled across the floor with the tiny little legs in hot pursuit.  Under the bed, into a dusty, dark corner it stopped.  As her dad walked into the room, all he saw were two little legs sticky out from under the bed ruffle and he heard a muffled tiny voice say, "Ball come here."  

A ball is a simple toy that intrigues all ages.  It can be tossed around, thrown thru an empty space of air, bounced, rolled around, and sometimes lost because it can so easily roll away.  Our dreams are like that ball.   We can toss them around sharing them with others.  We can throw them up very high.  We can bounce them off our circumstances.  Or we can let them roll away while we chase them.  

Right now I feel like the little child that let her dream start rolling but it rolled right out of sight. In my search to rediscover my dream, I find myself like the little child in the opening paragraph.   My dream seems to have rolled off into a dark, dusty corner just out of my reach.   

Dream come here!!!!  Of course the smart thing to do is scoot out from under the bed and ask for help.  

Art by Janice Seney