Day: January 6, 2014

God Seems A Little Crazy In The Old Testament — A Mega-Post on the OT

Anonymous asked:

Hi, I really love your blog and I love your take on different issues. I’m wondering if you can help me. I have a very intelligent, seeking friend who spends his time learning about different cultures, demographics and religions. He just sent me Genesis 11 and pointed out that God brings division to humanity, and through it war, racism, and other kinds of oppression. I really don’t know what to say because that’s a really valid point, and I’ve always been huge on God bringing justice and love…

Thank you for your kind words and for trusting me with this issue.  It’s a tough one — and you’re not the only one who thinks so.

I think deep inside, every single Christian in the world has an unresolved tension with the Old Testament.  If the OT were a dinner guest, we’d all be staring at her from across the room as she flips furniture and tells wild stories and eats the entire martini glass.  She’s kind of hot, but she’s also a tad bit crazy.

I don’t mean to sound blasphemous, but really: with all these Christian books trying to reconcile the “gracious fairy God” with the “OT monster God,” it sounds like we’re just apologizing for God all the time.  Does He really need all this watered down press?  Does He need better public relations?  Can we really tame the God of the Bible?

Because if God is really God, then He can do whatever He dang well wants.  Fortunately for us: God is “bound” by His very own nature, so however you assume God works, you’ll see His actions as immediately bad or investing in the good.

Continue reading “God Seems A Little Crazy In The Old Testament — A Mega-Post on the OT” →

Quote: What I’m Really Saying


If you are like me, the reason you sometimes feel sorry for yourself is because it feels good. I know that sounds odd, but if you think about it, it really does. When I feel sorry for myself, what I’m really saying is that I deserved better, that I am a better person than what the situation has dealt me. And if you think about it, that’s kind of an arrogant thing to say. It would be better if our attitude was more like, Man, that stinks, I didn’t get the job, or, That girl rejected me; better luck next time. Or we could just laugh about it with our friends. The trouble comes when something hard happens and we choose to stop and milk it for attention. There’s no progress in that, and it isn’t going to get us anywhere. And it’s also annoying.

— Donald Miller