Crazy Love

Before The Sacredness of Questioning, I read Francis Chan's Crazy Love.  The following are some quotations from this book that I marked and am taking time today to revisit (bold emphases are mine).

Psalm 115:3 reveals, "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him."  Yet we keep questioning Him: "Why did You make me with this body, instead of that one?"  "Why are so many people dying of starvation?"  "Why are there so many planets with nothing living on them?"  "Why is my family so messed up?"  "Why don't You make Yourself more obvious to the people who need You?"  The answer to each of these questions is simply this: because He's God.  He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving.  As much as we want God to explain himself to us, His creation, we are in no place to demand that He give an account to us.  (pg. 33)

Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.  Stress  says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or out tight grip of control.  Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional.  Both worry and stress reek of arrogance.  They declare our tendency to forget that we've been forgiven, that our our lives here are brief, that we are headed to place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God's strength, our problems are small, indeed.  Why are we so quick to forget God?  Who do we think we are? (pg. 42)

[a subheading that says it all and says everything I have so much trouble doing]  Thank God We Are Weak (pg. 45)

...I eventually rejected what the majority said and began to compare all aspects of my life to Scripture.  I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity.  The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance.  Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered.  That's for the "radicals" who are "unbalanced" and who go "overboard."  Most of us want a balanced life that we can control, that is safe, and that does not involve suffering.  Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ?  Or do the words halfhearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better?  (pg. 68)
Suppose the flood have never come-- Noah would have been the biggest laughingstock on earth.  Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy.  Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.(pgs. 114-115)