The Shack by William P. Young

Two and a half years ago, I read The Shack (William P. Young). It was really not my cup of tea. It's not the type of book I usually read, and I had a very hard time getting through it. It's a book not completely based in reality or necessarily in Scripture. It's supposed to be spiritual, and it is, but it's also fantastical and almost sacreligious to me.

And though I'm fairly unimpressed with this book, there have been moments of redemption. Like what I read about priorities. The main character is asking a question of the Godhead, who is a big black woman named Papa (God), a jovial man (Jesus), and an Asian woman/fog (The Holy Spirit). He wonders about God wanting us to live with Him as our top priority; God first, then so and so, then such and such. The "Holy Spirit's" answer intrigued me:

"If you put God at the top [of your priorities], 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?"

Then Papa jumps in: "You see...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."

And Jesus adds: "I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the centre 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."

These few paragraphs really spoke to me. Especially since I often struggle with putting Satan behind me, not giving in to his temptations, to spend time with my Lord. I also often feel awkward when, after reading the Bible and spending some time in prayer, I just stop. I feel like I'm being rude to God to just say Amen, and then go on about the rest of my day. I don't know how to transition. This spoke to me that you shouldn't transition. God is still with us, following us around the house as we do our daily tasks, feed the kids, visit with friends, and everything else we squeeze into our waking hours. I can just continue on my conversation with him, even though I'm no longer sitting in peace and quiet. I truly want God at the centre of my life, rather than just giving him a piece at the top. I have yet to fully comprehend what exactly that means, how it will look as I live it out. But that is the joy of journeying to know Christ better, it will become clearer as I grow closer to Him. God wants to show me, and He and I will enjoy this journey together.