Read & Real Reflections

Being on holidays, I've done some reading but it seems most of the books I've read recently have a common thread. The main characters experience 2 worlds - the "real" and the "other" world which is usually accessed by dreaming. The other world involves the spiritual realm where evil versus good and it seems real. The books I've read include "Black", "Red", "White" by Ted Dekker and "The Novelist" and "The Awakening" by Angela Hunt.

Though it is fiction, it challenges my understanding of reality and perhaps my understanding of who God is. Do most of us put God into a box, however wide and deep its parameters? I think I do. I expect God to fit into my narrow minded understanding. Reading these books (and some blogs) challenge me on my definition of "God is good". We expect God to answer our prayers in a way that we consider to be good and if He answers it differently, we say, "Well that wasn't His will" and sweep it under the proverbial carpet. "It" being our perception of good and being disappointed in God's response.

In "Black", Elyon is depicted as an innocent and wise boy who loves playing. "See this magnificent waterfall? I made it for your enjoyment. I made you. I love you." And then laughter bubbles up and out from within His heart and Elyon & the main character (Tom) go running, dancing, skipping over the mountains and hills.

Who is God? Can we really get close to any true understanding of who He is? If our minds aren't capable of processing more than 1% of all the knowledge in the world, how can we expect to fully comprehend who God is? To that end, we need to pursue Him and yet, abide in Him.

Real versus Fiction.

Reading challenges me to think outside what I already know and embrace. It is not enough and yet, I confess that I am lazy and/or complacent. I don't want to pursue knowledge and understanding of God if it requires too much effort and time. I want it or the knowledge and heart of Him to come to me.

The other challenge is that of "community" or "body of Christ" and how we all fit together, or in some cases, don't. How close are we supposed to be? It seems to me that we go to church, nod at our brothers and sisters in Christ and go back into our own "real" worlds, living our own lives and barely making an impression on those we worship with.

I picture it like this" We walk around in our bubbles, occasionally bumping into each other and making a small dent, but rarely piercing the bubble and getting through to the person.

What is church for? What are friendships for? How much does it really impact on our own individual life? Do you want me to pierce your bubble and see you bleed? Why or why not?

Again, this takes hard work and time and I bet some of you are saying, "I don't have the time or energy to get involved".

Anyway, that's just some of the thinking I've been doing while reading and driving and holidaying. Imagine what else I might think up in the coming days??!!!