The Shack: Week Three

Meet bear. Bear is the love of my daughter's life. We don't remember who gave him to her, but he is the center of her little 22 month old universe. We tried (unsuccessfully) to find a "back-up bear" once only to discover that he is a "retired" beanie baby. We found one that was close on eBay, but Olivia didn't buy it. She actually calls it "more bear". He's cute, but nothing really special...see he wasn't a big seller and was sent out to pasture...kinda the land of the misfits toys.

Mack was confronted with this kind of love in chapter six this week. "

No matter what God's power may be, the first aspect of God is never that of absolute Master, the Almighty. It is that of the God who puts himself on our human level and limits himself"

My daughter chose the least desirable as the sole object of her affection. When that happens to humans, the response is multifaceted; disbelief, humility, gratitude, adoration. The list goes on and on. Our response is natural, we are loved and in return we want to love back to the same degree, if not more so.

...so now what am I supposed to do...you 're not supposed to do anything (replies Jesus), you are free to do whatever you like..well (Mack replies) I sort of feel obligated to go in and talk to him, er her..Don't go because you feel obligated (Jesus replies). That won't get you any points around here. Go because it's what you want to do..(p 89)

Here's the rub. Obligation. Are we obligated to do anything after we come to fall in love with Jesus. This question has spilled much real blood and I do not wish to spill anymore. Let me say this;

If you have honestly come face to face with the reality of 1) your spiritual condition and position before you answered an invitation from Jesus 2) understand that it is by grace you have been chosen and given that right then I doubt that your heart will desire to do anything but run to this Merciful God and offer all that you have.

Anything else to me seems like you either expected God to do things for you because you deserved it or that you didn't really need God to do anything for you that you couldn't do for yourself.

How would you respond if someone bought you a used $1,000 car as apposed to a new Porsche?

Have you responded...did you run out of love or obligation? Do you really understand the gift?

b