The view of the night sky away from the cities ambient light can be overwhelming. The stars are dramatically brighter after one’s eye adjust to the darkness. It is at times like that a person can seem very small. The heaven’s declare the glory of God. Creation’s witness to the power and majesty of our God can communicate the imminence of God if you’re standing in the presence of a natural wonder of the world. You can see God’s finger prints. Then at the same time God can see so far away, holy, and transcendent. The shack explores these concepts when Mack spends a little time on the dock with Jesus. In all of this Mack gains an understanding of God on a certain level, but not the one he truly needs. He confesses that he is completely lost. The Apostle Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah and reminds us all, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” The gospel of love and forgiveness in Jesus is not something that can even be imagined!
The second chapter in our study cuts to the chase and tackles the question of evil in the world and God’s involvement or lack there of. How can God be just and still allow evil to go on? Or in the case of Mack, why would God allow someone to hurt and kill my daughter? This question has been asked over and over again. At Star of Bethlehem Lutheran church we offer an Ask God event to the community. Our next event is coming up in May of this year. Every time a member of the community asks a similar question – why does God allow bad things to happen? This could be a job loss, sexual or physical abuse. Natural or political disasters are raised as examples of God’s impotence. The shack doesn’t put it’s finger on exactly why there is evil in the world, but it does offer a pretty good answer for why it is permitted to happen. Want to hear more? Watch this week’s Bible study on chapters 7-8 of The Shack.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.