John’s gospel opens with this beautiful statement, “In the very beginning the Living Expression was already there. And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God. They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning.” ^vs1 Face-to-face expresses intimate knowing, caring, and relationship. God the Almighty and God the All Vulnerable present at the same moment, present to one another! The tension between truths is where life is. Balance is this tension! “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.” ^vs2

Relationships

My early years as a Christian characterized by the need to be right. All convections and few opinions defined my approach to life. The test of faithfulness found in the extremes. Being right was everything!

A better sense of balance has characterized my later years. Being right, I’ve found highly overrated and very divisive. Relationships are what matters; people are the heavenly gifts! I now have fewer convictions and far more opinions. It is not that truth matters less. It is that truth is a person, Jesus Christ. And He is our Brother! We are in a relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We can be face-to-face-to-face with Them and with each other. They will sort out our wrongheadedness as we journey together.

Face-to-face-to-face

This blog aims to start conversations, make connections, and encourage one another along the way. As Paul Young, the author of The Shack, says in Eve, “Choose your questions carefully. One good question is worth a thousand answers.” ^pg4 Let us discover the transformational truth of that as we journey together in conversation around the work of George MacDonald. I do not claim to have the answers, but I am discovering the questions!

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