A Messy World

I read this book once; it belonged to one of my kids - he was a teenager at the time.  The book was called Messy Spirituality and it was written by Michael Yaconelli.  It is about God's annoying Love for imperfect people - and that includes me.  And that is what I loved about this book.  It brought God into people's worlds - right smack in the middle of brokenness.  I remember talking to some people back in Ottawa about a tragedy that occurred in Southern Ontario (http://www.firehouse.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64044).  While a man was in Ottawa, his pregnant wife and 7 children died in a horrific house fire (this was in the Fall of 2004 - I was studying for the ministry at that time).  A few friends of mine questioned the faith of the man (a Christian) and asked me where God was in all this.  I told them "right in the midst of the fire."  These people where surprised at my answer; they couldn't believe that God would have anything to do with this - God should have protected them if they where really "good Christians."  They became quiet when I said; "if there is any time in my life that I want God with me - it would be then; Him coming to me to comfort me and take me away from the horrors of (being in) the fire."  Being Christian does not spare us from life's trials.  Life happens and we seek God to get us through the trials and the ugliness of it at times.  That is why I liked this book; that is why I think this is a book that everyone should read.  Yaconelli reminds us that Jesus came for messy lives - not perfect ones.  I forget who said this but, Jesus died between two thieves; not between two clergy.

And thus, this blog.  A place where I/ we can expose God's annoying Love for imperfect people  in a messy and broken world.

Ron