This particular response focuses on the first part of the book, “Finding God Without Really Looking.” Philip Yancey, the author, shows how God is present in everyday events, circumstances, and even sins. He begins by talking about the almost universal belief in the sanctity of human life and the almost universal fear of death. His question of “What makes human life so precious to us?” is a good one, though I don’t necessarily think that it points to God. I think it could quite easily point to humanism, pantheism, or almost any variety of belief system. The triumph of life over death, though, is a very powerful message of Christianity, and one that I find particularly meaningful in my own life.
Next, Yancey talks about sex. He sees spirituality and sexuality as related because sexuality also shows a desire for transendence, which is the key motivation behind spirituality. However, he does state that the modern fascination with sexuality is a form of idolatry. People are looking for intimacy in the wrong places, far from God. Yancey then discusses a book by J.D. Unwin, in which the author discusses the fact that all dominant societies have been monogamous and have only dissolved after great sexual promiscuity. While I find this dubious (infidelity exists even in cultures where it is strongly discouraged), sexual promiscuity does take a huge toll on society in general. Think of all the “unwanted” children, the AIDS victims, and the torn families. Yancey views sex as a gift from God, but a gift that should not be abused.
Next Yancey discusses his fascination with the night sky and how insignificant we are compared to the rest of the universe. He uses the immensity of the cosmos as an argument for not focusing on ourselves and the trials of the moment and instead focusing on The Big Picture. While I need to be reminded of The Big Picture often, I think it’s also important that we not lose sight of the misery in the world around us and the plight of our fellow men. Imagine telling a starving mother in Africa watching her child die in her arms, “This doesn’t really matter. In the great course of history, your deaths won’t even make a dent.” Because, to God, all of the little deals are important in His Big Picture.
Yancey then proceeds to list some of the wonders of nature and some of its horrors, saying that it hadn’t taught him any theology because of its mixed messages. However, he said it has taught him the definition of some words by giving him the appropriate feelings – glory, majesty, etc. This is something I agree with. I don’t learn that much about God from nature, but I do sometimes feel things so profound while in nature that it’s hard to attribute them to nature alone. The next chapter, however, almost directly refutes this as he talks about seeing the Creation and the Fall in nature. He mentions how he thought about how difficult it must be for God to watch the fallen creation and not do anything. For some reason, this argument is very difficult for me to understand. I have difficulty, of course, with the question of human suffering and God’s unlimited love. Why do innocent people have to suffer for what bad people do? I, like Yancey, yearn to see the world after justice has been done and Creation has been restored. It’s just hard for me to put God on such a human scale like Yancey does in this chapter.
The last chapter in this section is the one I have the most difficulty agreeing with. Yancey states that Jesus came down to earth to disrupt the universe by realigning the Earth and Heaven. This, I agree with. However, I do not agree that Jesus came down because of a failure on God’s part to understand the fallen Creation and the human experience because He had never lived it. God understands everything. He knew what He was getting into.
I am really enjoying reading this right now. It has really made me think about my beliefs and redefine them. Philip Yancey is a wonderful writer who has many interesting, inspiring, thought-provoking stories and insights to share.
(A response to the book “Finding God in Unexpected Places” by Philip Yancey, published by Moorings and copyrighted in 1995).
A Response to “Finding God in Unexpected Places”, Part One July 3, 2009
Stress and Finals and Lessons Learned March 15, 2009
This term has been absolutely crazy, and I hardly know what to think of it now. I’ve survived, and I’ve grown up a lot. For that, I’m very, very thankful. I’ve decided to make a list of lessons I’ve learned this term:
1. Flexibility in my relationship with God, my relationship with others, and even my relationship with myself.
2. I’m not the only person with problems in this world.
3. Papers don’t just go away. They have to be written.
4. God loves me, even when I don’t.
5. I believe a lot of lies.
6. I’m not meant to be a babysitter.
7. I love winter. It’s beautiful, even at -40.
8. God gives us the strength for all challenges.
9. Reading in a non-linear function doesn’t work very well in college.
10. It’s important to show people how much you love them or they’ll never know.
11. Life is impermanent, so we have to live it remembering that.
Back at College January 4, 2009
The time has come for me to throw myself into another term of college, and the big question is whether or not I’m ready to follow another intense term. Last term definitely had a lot of low points, which were all my fault and all due to a bad attitude. My first assignment is due Tuesday in one of my classes, and I’m going to work on that in a few minutes. However, I just thought that I’d reflect a little on the sermon at church today. I’m glad I went, even if it meant that I missed out on several hours of necessary sleep, because I really needed to hear the message of this sermon.
Of course, with Tuesday being Epiphany, the subject was Epiphany and our need to seek Jesus. The great part, though, was the moment I realized that I still don’t know Jesus. In fact, I’m a bit scared to get to know Him. I mean, what if He asks me to change everything? What if He wants me to drop out of college? Also, I realized that I’m still not really aware of the message of the Cross. I know the facts, but those facts have never reached my heart. I don’t really like to think about it, either. That somebody, anybody, would have to die because I was sinful is just hard for me to accept. However, it’s the truth.
2009 is going to be a year where I really seek Jesus. I may not have much to give Him or much to offer anybody, for that matter, but I’m going to love Him. I want to learn what loving Him truly is and what it means to love Him with my whole being.
New Year’s Resolutions December 30, 2008
Maybe, if I post them on my blog, I will be more likely to keep them. I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.
What I want to accomplish in 2009:
1. Eat better.
2. Exercise at least once a day.
3. Get into a good circadian rhythm (i.e. stop going to bed really late and waking up really late)
4. Practice my instrument every day.
5. Work on general knowledge of music every day.
6. Compose a little every day.
7. Organize my life.
8. Develop better study habits.
9. Read through the Bible.
10. Make my life God-focused, and discover my identity in Him.
Some Thoughts on Death (Inspired by a Dying Pet) December 28, 2008
My sister’s rabbit, Candy, is about to die. We’ve had Candy for 9 or so years (she’s about 10 1/2), and she’s a wonderful rabbit. It will be a hard loss for my family, especially my sister. Now, facing this reminder of mortality has made me reflect on my own mortality.
Earlier this year, I became absolutely paralyzed by agoraphobia (the fear of everything). While this woke me up and brought me to a position where I could finally accept Christ as my savior, it also made my life miserable for about 6 months. Fear of death was a very prominent part of the problem. Watching Candy die has brought it up again.
I think I’ve finally begun to make peace with my mortality. Unless the Lord arrives in the very near future, I’m going to die sooner or later. It’s just a fact. There is no Fountain of Youth to prevent it. I’m not sure I would even want to drink from it if there was. Isn’t life precious because it’s limited?
God has given me today, and today is all I need right now. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Not only is that an awesome scripture, it pretty much sums up my life philosophy right now. I try to let all my worries and all my stress melt in rejoicing in the day I’ve been given by the Lord. I don’t know for sure that I have a tomorrow, or even an afternoon today, but I know I have right now. I want to serve God moment by moment, loving Him with my whole heart and rejoicing in the gifts He has given me. When I do this, I realize that that’s what I was made to do.
Putting God in My Christmas December 24, 2008
So, in two days I’m going to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. I kept wondering about what kind of gift I could possibly give Him on His birthday. Being the only “extreme, religious” person in my family (a term I don’t like so much), I found it slightly humorous to see my little brother’s reaction when I explained that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. Then I realized that I don’t actually know that. I tend to treat Christmas much like the secular holiday it has turned into thanks to the growing commercialization of our culture. What can I do, I asked myself, to celebrate Jesus’ birthday rather than “the holidays”?
I’m still open to suggestions. I’m fairly new to this whole Christian thing. I was raised Mormon up until age 13 (yes, I have done “baptism for the dead”), and after that I wavered between lots of other things. However, what I’ve decided for now is just to spend the day in a quieter, calmer way focused on Jesus and His ultimate gift to humanity. I also want to renew the gift of my heart, my mind, my strength, and my soul to Him. I’m hoping to make this Christmas all about Christ.
Some Good News – Just in Time for the Holidays December 22, 2008
Ok, so we’re all sick and tired of the constant negative news, aren’t we? So I have made it my duty to collect five happy stories. It includes miracles, art work, and other happiness. Enjoy and try to get into the Christmas spirit with some positive news!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081222/ap_on_re_us/airport_accident - an accident that, miraculously, everyone survived
http://www.yahoo.com/s/1005535 - Got extra packing tape? Didn’t use all the tape you bought to wrap those Christmas gifts? Think about going creative!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/21/iraq.christmas/index.html - No matter how we feel about the war, I think it’s great that some things at least are changing.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89532824 - Rebuilding and trust are wonderful themes for the holidays, as we face so much destruction, emptiness, and anger.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7794886.stm - Reunions and freedom are also excellent themes.
As we approach Christmas, let’s try to remember that it shouldn’t be a celebration of the height of materialism, but a celebration of hope for humanity.
Hoping for Perfection December 20, 2008
New Years is coming, just as it comes every year, and the most horrible thing about it is New Year’s Resolutions.
I like new beginnings, but I don’t like the New Year. Why? I get stuck in this mentality that I have to be perfect, that it’s my one chance to finally iron out all my faults and figure everything out. I’ve already thought about the ten things I’m going to work on, and I know that I’ll just get discouraged when it doesn’t turn out exactly the way I planned it.
I can already see the perfect me: attractive, healthy, thoughtful, organized, confident, motivated, wonderful, etc. Unfortunately, that person only exists in my imagination. I have to admit, when I examine my life, that I’m rather plain, unhealthy, impatient, disorganized, etc.
Recently, though, I’ve been realizing more and more that this fantasy is hurting my life. I get so frustrated when I make mistakes that I take it out on other people – and even God occasionally. I replay all the embarrassing moments of my life over and over in my head until I want to cry. Not only is it hurting my life, it’s a form of selfishness and conceit. Selfishness, because I focus only on myself, never on others, and conceit because I believe that, somewhere deep in my heart, that I, out of all people, can someday obtain that perfection.
Realizing this, I had a sudden realization last night: I can’t be perfect. I can try to improve, but I will never be perfect. It took me a long time to let go of myself, but now I have decided that God is the only One who can even get this unmotivated, lazy person moving in the right direction. I asked God to redefine me and help me become more the person He wants me to be. It may not be the person I want to be. But that person isn’t real anyways and is all about being recognized by the rest of the world as a magnificent person. Why should I try pretending to be something I’m not?
Cool Christmas Quotes December 18, 2008
I love reading quotes. I thought I’d share some great Christmas quotes on the blog.
He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith
Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ~Mary Ellen Chase
Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens
I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day. We try to crowd into it the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year. As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year. And thus I drift along into the holidays – let them overtake me unexpectedly – waking up some find morning and suddenly saying to myself: “Why, this is Christmas Day!” ~David Grayson
And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ~Dr. Seuss
I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world.~ Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993), American Protestant religious leader, author.
In far less eloquent words, Christmas is wonderful!
The Bible in 40 Days December 18, 2008
The college I attend isn’t very Christian. Actually, let’s just call it one of the more secular colleges in the country. I wasn’t exactly a practicing Christian when I chose colleges, and I don’t think I would have picked a Christian college anyways. Getting money from my parents to pay for tuition may have perhaps been a factor in my exclusively secular college choices.
To get back to the point, which by now is lost in the dust somewhere, I did pick to live on the all-girl floor. And on that all-girl floor is the greatest concentration of Christians outside the Christian interest house. Luckily, my roommate is also Christian. In our dorm room, once a week, we have these “strengthening sessions” where we share our stresses, challenges, and other stuff. For our long winter break (41 days, my friends), three of us decided to try reading the Bible in 40 days.
My parents laughed at me when I shared this with them, but I’m not sure I expected much else. I’d say they fear half the time that I’m going to go off the deep end and join some sort of cult. The other half the time, I have no idea what they think. I love my parents deeply. They are wonderful parents. However, we have very few similarities.
Actually, if I keep up with my readings the plan isn’t so bad. However, I haven’t written on my blog in so long because I fell behind – three days or so behind to be exact. It’s not that I don’t read those days; I just don’t finish it all. So I just caught up again today. It was one long day of reading and then being absolutely lazy and watching soap operas. The soap operas make me reflect on the fact that my life isn’t actually as filled with drama as I think it is. They also negate whatever spiritual effect the Bible readings may have had by slowly killing my brain.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving reading the Bible. It’s great. I just can’t read 10% of it in one day without overloading. I feel like I’ve grown a lot through this process and gained an added level of dedication in my life (something I desperately need). Besides, it’s really cool to see the common threads so clearly. However, I think this isn’t going to be an annual thing. I think I’ll get more out of the Bible if I read it slowly to absorb more. So on January 1st I’m starting a year-long Bible reading plan right off.
