Where did December Go???

Well, after almost a full month of not posting, the answer is simple - a house full of people taking it in turns to come down with nasty bugs and getting ready for Christmas!

We are now about to be invaded by the entire in-law clan for New Year's Eve, so this looks like about the last opportunity for some peace and quiet before 2007 comes to an end.

As such, here are some updates, and also some previews to things I'm hoping to come back in 2008:

1. Our house has been delayed - probably by approximately 6 weeks. If you are reading this and live in Barrie or know anyone who does, we're going to need a place to stay for about six weeks. We do our best to be small and inconspicuous, but lets face it - two adults and two little girls who are homeschooled just isn't the same as a quiet female student who spends all her time at the university library or her boyfriend's house!
   
2. If you don't live in Barrie or know someone who does but are reading this, please pray for God's provision.
3. In spite of delays, the house has begun to emerge:
4. Trevor gave me "The Irresistible Revolution" for Christmas, and I'm hoping to go through and post some comments in the next couple of weeks.
   
5. The previous point, and indeed any other posting I hope to do in the next couple of months, is dependent on our computer being healed. We are having issues with the fan, and if it a) dies; or b) is not easily replaceable, we may be out of the communication loop for a while. I will do my best.
6. 2008 looks like a very exciting time for us. After years of struggling with where we're meant to be, we are feeling very excited about moving to Barrie. Are we "called" to Barrie? I don't know about that - I think we're called to go into all the world and make disciples. Barrie just happens to be one place in the world. But I am tentatively hoping and even beginning to risk the terror of praying that God would work through our home and our lives in this new place. If I get the guts, I will try to share some of what is beginning to emerge in terms of a plan (on the strictest of understandings that as with any plan it is only the place to begin from - I refuse to be held to it!)

Blessings to you all as 2007 draws to a close, and may 2008 bring righteousness, joy and peace. (See Romans 14:17-18)

17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Theology of Suffering

I think the following (by Trevor) provides an interesting counter-point to the Radio 4 broadcast I posted earlier:

Have you ever considered that the book of Job is a study in theologians getting it dead wrong? Job asks the eternal question "why is there pain and suffering? How can this be the work of a just God?" and his friends try to answer. They don't just trot out cheap aphorisms and continue on their way- they sit with Job for 7 days before speaking, if I recall correctly. And then they take a lot of chapters to construct a theodicy, a theology of suffering. But unfortunately, it basically boils down to 'it must be your fault.'

I'm wondering if the book is basically a warning about the dangers of acting as God's spokesman. Job's friends are not thanked for their efforts to teach theology to Job or for defending God's actions. God, it seems, does not need apologists.

Is it O.K. for Job to ask the questions, but not for his friends to answer them?

I suspect we need to be very careful in rushing to answer this type of question. Maybe it's important for each individual to wrestle with God and the problems of pain and injustice, and in our hurry to tie up theological loose ends we truncate this process.

I suspect that God is less interested in what we think about these questions, than in how we react to them. But it's probably easier to explain suffering than try to alleviate it.

An interesting radio piece

Yesterday evening I listened to "From Calvary to Lambeth" on BBC Radio 4. It was discussing the ever-persistent question of what the church should do with the issue of homosexuality, but it was also interesting because of the fact that each "side" of the issue came from a different "side" of the conservative/liberal divide. So their comments give voice to more than simply opinions on this always testy subject.

Anyways, I found it very interesting ...