In all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Everything happens for a reason.

One of these phrases is scripture - a truth longing to be mined and polished so it will shine. The other phrase is more common, possibly more believable and more believed, and yet always leaves me very empty. Why, because it's simply not true!

Seriously, does it satisfy you at all when someone tells you that 'everything happens for a reason'? Does it fill the gaping hole in your mind? your heart? your gut?

Why do we believe it? And why don't we believe the first phrase, the scripture, the truth?

Why do we settle for a false superficial answer and dare not wrestle with the profound Word of God?

This past weekend I had a brief conversation with a lifelong faithful Christian who completely blurred these two phrases. It was sad to see the confusion. It was sad to think of the years and decades of poor teaching and/or understanding. Mostly, it was sad to witness the tainted view of God it had caused, and therefore the missed opportunity for a deeper relationship with the lover of her soul.

Do you understand the difference in these seemingly similar yet polar opposite phrases? Can you articulate the difference to a struggling friend? Give it a shot. Here's a good place to practice.

[ a few helps: 1. ask God for revelation, 2. study the context by looking at the whole Romans 8 chapter, and 3. after 1 & 2, if you want you can listen to my sermon on this topic http://wellspring.net/?q=node/309. Note, the recording begins with a skit]

I watched the movie The Soloist. Granted it was on a plane, so my viewing quality and personal attention was less than ideal, but this is what I saw. The movie is a true story about a LA Times reporter who befriends a homeless man. The appeal is that the homeless man is an amazing musician, and he's been diagnosed with mental illness. The result is a volatile mix of moving interludes and rash reactions.



Throughout the movie religion is presented as a cold, uncompassionate, empty form insisted upon by simple-minded people. However, the inspirational hope of redemption that is available for both the homeless man and the reporter is through the saving grace of relationship. It is the channel for both awakening the heart (the reporter) and clearing the mind (the homeless man).



As I watched, I felt sad. Is it true that the world's view of religion stands in direct opposition to life-giving relationship? Is it true of all religion? Have we all failed to reveal the God who so desperately wants to be in relationship with us that he laid down his own life for us? Is there no distinction between empty formality religion and genuine born again transforming Christianity? How does the world see me and what I profess? What I live, what I've become?



As I watched, I also was encouraged. I saw a worldview that clearly grasped the power of relationship. I was challenged by it. How can we bring the greatest relationships, the truly transforming relationship with God and his body the church? How can we bring the eternal relationship to those who are endlessly seeking? How can we introduce a loving life-giving God to a world desperate for that very relationship?