Yet To Be Titled

Chapter 5 - THE SOURCE

Philip shares in the beginning of this chapter about a two week trip of seclusion where he simply read the Bible from cover to cover. He shared that in church and in seminary he had learned to think of God as an unchanging, invisible spirit who possesses such qualities as omnipotence, omniscience and impassibility (incapable of emotion). But by simply reading through the Bible Philip found a person. A unique and distinctive person who has deep emotions.

His conclusion was that the tree questions were not puzzles awaiting solution. He determined that they were problems of relationship between man and a God who wants desperately to love and be loved by us.

He then changes the questions to the following. Why is God unfair to me? Why does He seem silent and hidden from me? When He returned fro his two week sabbatical he began to pursue the relationship between man and a passionate God hungry for the love of His people. He determined that all feelings of disappointment with God trace back to a breakdown in that relationship. HHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMM?

RELATIONSHIP! That's the exact place where I was a year ago. Everything is about relationship. Last year I spent much time studying that and trying to understand what that looked like. A year later all I'm willing to share is that it did not turn out to look like what I thought. To say more would be to speak unedifying things at worst and grumbling at best. Most everyone has there own stories of disappointment with relationships so you don't need to here mine. I still believe, like Philip, that the root of disappointment with God is a breakdown in the relationship. But I'm not 100% convinced that it's always my breakdown. I guess that's why I'm reading to book. I want to see if Philip is on my side or God's side?

RELAX!!!! I actually know that the breakdown is on my part and I know there are no sides! I have my moments of delusion just like the next person. And when delusion is not the excuse I use denial for a few moments. I never said I had all the answers!