Book Review

I'm sure several of you have heard about the newest book to hit the Christian "must read" list... The Shack, by William P. Young. Go check out the website, his blog (I'm exploring it right now), etc. If you've never heard of it, read the back cover: http://theshackbook.com/pages/page2.html.

While I don't want to join the bandwagon of "This book revolutionized my life!" (I think we should all be saying that about SCRIPTURE, and many of us aren't--that's where we need to start), I would like to say that this IS a very influential book and has definitely caused me to evaluate my own relationship with God. I took a few key truths out of the book and have been ingesting them since I read it this weekend. I want to post one section here... I probably shouldn't because of copyright issues and all, but... this is something that DID profoundly impact me, and I'd like you to be a part of it. Quick intro--Mack is in a shack with God, after his daughter has been abducted and murdered. God is shown as the trinity that He is... Sarayu is the Holy Spirit, Papa the Father, and Jesus is, well, Jesus. Three. And One. Here goes:

"But," Mack wasn't convinced. "But don't you want us to set priorities? You know: God first, then whatever, followed by whatever?"

"The trouble with living by priorities," Sarayu spoke, "is that it sees everything as a hierarchy, a pyramid, and you and I have already had that discussion. If you put God at the top, what does that really mean and how much is enough? How much time do you give me before you can go on about the rest of your day, the part that interests you so much more?"

Papa again interrupted. "You see, Mackenzie, I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day."

Jesus now spoke again. "Mack, I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life--your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities--is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being."

"And I," concluded Sarayu, "I am the wind." She smiled hugely and bowed.