I did it. I finally finished reading The Shack. This is the first fiction book I've read in quite a long time. In fact, the last time I can remember reading a fiction book was probably in High School as an English assignment.
What compelled me to finish reading this book were the amount of people who recommended it to me, the friend who gave it to me as a gift and the controversy I had read about the book. Here are my thoughts about The Shack.
The Shack is a story about a man named Mack who suffers a great loss in his life, what he calls The Great Sadness. Mack is gripped with the pain of his loss and cannot find a way out. As you read the story, it's easy to identify with Mack's pain especially if you've had a significant loss in your own life.
Behind Mack's pain are a lot of good questions. Questions like, "Why does God allow evil things to happen in this world?" "Why does God allow suffering?" "Why does God allow people to become victimized and innocently hurt?"
Mack is given the opportunity to meet with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to find answers to these and many more questions about life. In the end, Mack comes away a changed man and learns the power of trust in God, forgiveness of others and the simple truth that "if anything matters, then everything matters."
This book is a page turner and very easy to read once you make it to Chapter Five. While this book is fictional and stimulating to read, it is at the same time chock-full of theology. Some of this theology I agreed with, some of it I disagreed with, some of it was questionable and I'm sure much of it went over my head. Those who spoke poorly of this book were one's who couldn't tolerate the inconsistencies and contradictions between the book and Biblical truth.
To those who hold this viewpoint, I completely honor your feelings on the matter. I for one never want to endorse any book that contradicts Scripture or defend any writings (including my own) against the inspiration and authority of the Bible. The Bible is God's Word and no other book can stand in comparison.
At the same time, although I didn't agree with every opinion and theological idea expressed in this book, I want to say that there are many aspects of this book that brought greater revelation to my understanding of the nature and character of God. The humanity of Jesus, the mystery of the Holy Spirit's activities, the immense love of God the Father for humanity and the fear and wisdom of God came alive to me. The Shack also helped me better comprehend the common pain experienced by all humanity when living in a sin-filled, fallen world and God's glorious plan of redemption.
The literary quality of the book is phenomenal and the end of the book brings a great twist as well as a feeling of satisfaction. I really enjoyed the ending! I would recommend The Shack to anyone who's faced a major loss in their life and is looking to find healing and comfort. If your wounds are fresh, bring along a box of tissues because this book has the power to make a grown man cry.
Selah.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Writing Blank Checks
A couple weeks back I was confessing to a friend how I was becoming overly critical of certain people in my life. My expectations in these relationships were not being met and I was continually voicing my opinion and complaints on the matter. My friend reached back and started digging in his bag. At that point, I knew I was in trouble.
He brought out a small 40 page book entitled, "The Importance of Forgiveness" by John Arnott. "Here, take this and read it." My immediate knee jerk reaction was to kindly decline the offer. "Hey, thanks for thinking of me, but I don't think forgiveness is my struggle. I'm struggling with having a critical spirit."
"I know", my friend persisted. "It addresses that very topic in here. Read it." By this time, the book was now being held in both my hands and I had a strange feeling that it was not coincidental that my friend happened to have it on him that day.
As I started to read through the book, the Holy Spirit began to confirm what my friend had sensed was going on in my life. I was harboring unforgiveness towards these other people to whom I was being critical. Furthermore, I was being judgmental towards them and disobeying the clear teachings of Jesus, "Do not judge" (Luke 6:37).
This was a hard reality for me to accept because in my mind I had concluded, "Sure, I've forgiven them. Surely, I'm not one to hold a grudge. I'm bigger than that." But the evidence was becoming clearer and my conviction was growing stronger.
So, one morning I brought this issue to the Lord asking if I had any unforgiveness in my heart. A resounding "Yes" rose up in my spirit. I then asked the Lord, "So, what do I do about it." My expectation was for the Lord to direct me to write out every offense and forgive every individual wrong. I thought that it would be a long and arduous process of bringing up old memories and forgiving each, one at a time.
Instead, to my surprise, the only words that came to my mind were simply this:
"Write a blank check."
These words needed no further explanation. I understood clearly what the Lord was speaking to my heart. He wanted me to forgive all the offenses I had felt from the past, anything greiving me now and any potential hurt in the future.
It seemed like a pretty tall order at first, but what soon became evident to me was that the Lord didn't want me to take time to stew over all the misunderstandings of the past and bring back up every offense. He simply wanted me to bury them all in the sea of forgiveness. In fact, it was probably my own flesh that would have preferred to bring up every individual offense allowing myself one last chance to meditate on how wrong the other parties had been. I wanted to play judge again.
In following the Lord's lead, I drew a fake check in my notebook and wrote under "To" the names of the people who offended me. Under "Amount" I left the space blank. And under "Memo" I wrote "Every offense". I then wrote out Ephesians 4:31-32 on the check which reads, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
Finally, I signed the check with my full name and then confirmed this decision to forgive in prayer and transferred the entire debt over to the cross of Jesus Christ. I sat quietly before the Lord considering this transaction and asked, "What's next?"
Instantly, four simple words rose up in my spirit, "Write yourself a check." Again without any further explanation, I understood what the Lord was inviting me to do. He was extending the invitation for me to forgive myself for all of my own shortcomings, sins and failures of the past, present and even the future. He was inviting me to not only be forgiven of my sins, but to forgive myself for them.
With these four words, "Write yourself a check" resounding in my heart, I began to write out a prayer to Jesus to forgive myself for every act of my will, every mistake, every sin and transgression and to choose to condemn myself no longer.
I can't describe the levity, joy and freedom that came from this exercise. Amazingly, my relationships with those who had offended me changed immediately. My criticalness and judgements were no longer in the way of my ability to love them. And personally I felt relieved of the weight that comes from self-condemnation.
Friend, don't wait any longer to experience the freedom that comes through forgiveness. Start by receiving the full pardon for your own sins which Jesus has paid for on the cross. Based on Jesus death for you, choose to forgive yourself. Then, choose to extend complete forgiveness to everyone who has ever offended you.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:37-38)
He brought out a small 40 page book entitled, "The Importance of Forgiveness" by John Arnott. "Here, take this and read it." My immediate knee jerk reaction was to kindly decline the offer. "Hey, thanks for thinking of me, but I don't think forgiveness is my struggle. I'm struggling with having a critical spirit."
"I know", my friend persisted. "It addresses that very topic in here. Read it." By this time, the book was now being held in both my hands and I had a strange feeling that it was not coincidental that my friend happened to have it on him that day.
As I started to read through the book, the Holy Spirit began to confirm what my friend had sensed was going on in my life. I was harboring unforgiveness towards these other people to whom I was being critical. Furthermore, I was being judgmental towards them and disobeying the clear teachings of Jesus, "Do not judge" (Luke 6:37).
This was a hard reality for me to accept because in my mind I had concluded, "Sure, I've forgiven them. Surely, I'm not one to hold a grudge. I'm bigger than that." But the evidence was becoming clearer and my conviction was growing stronger.
So, one morning I brought this issue to the Lord asking if I had any unforgiveness in my heart. A resounding "Yes" rose up in my spirit. I then asked the Lord, "So, what do I do about it." My expectation was for the Lord to direct me to write out every offense and forgive every individual wrong. I thought that it would be a long and arduous process of bringing up old memories and forgiving each, one at a time.
Instead, to my surprise, the only words that came to my mind were simply this:
"Write a blank check."
These words needed no further explanation. I understood clearly what the Lord was speaking to my heart. He wanted me to forgive all the offenses I had felt from the past, anything greiving me now and any potential hurt in the future.
It seemed like a pretty tall order at first, but what soon became evident to me was that the Lord didn't want me to take time to stew over all the misunderstandings of the past and bring back up every offense. He simply wanted me to bury them all in the sea of forgiveness. In fact, it was probably my own flesh that would have preferred to bring up every individual offense allowing myself one last chance to meditate on how wrong the other parties had been. I wanted to play judge again.
In following the Lord's lead, I drew a fake check in my notebook and wrote under "To" the names of the people who offended me. Under "Amount" I left the space blank. And under "Memo" I wrote "Every offense". I then wrote out Ephesians 4:31-32 on the check which reads, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
Finally, I signed the check with my full name and then confirmed this decision to forgive in prayer and transferred the entire debt over to the cross of Jesus Christ. I sat quietly before the Lord considering this transaction and asked, "What's next?"
Instantly, four simple words rose up in my spirit, "Write yourself a check." Again without any further explanation, I understood what the Lord was inviting me to do. He was extending the invitation for me to forgive myself for all of my own shortcomings, sins and failures of the past, present and even the future. He was inviting me to not only be forgiven of my sins, but to forgive myself for them.
With these four words, "Write yourself a check" resounding in my heart, I began to write out a prayer to Jesus to forgive myself for every act of my will, every mistake, every sin and transgression and to choose to condemn myself no longer.
I can't describe the levity, joy and freedom that came from this exercise. Amazingly, my relationships with those who had offended me changed immediately. My criticalness and judgements were no longer in the way of my ability to love them. And personally I felt relieved of the weight that comes from self-condemnation.
Friend, don't wait any longer to experience the freedom that comes through forgiveness. Start by receiving the full pardon for your own sins which Jesus has paid for on the cross. Based on Jesus death for you, choose to forgive yourself. Then, choose to extend complete forgiveness to everyone who has ever offended you.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:37-38)
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