"We were never created to settle for mere religion. Jesus did not die so that we could have a religious belief system but rather a life-giving relationship with our Father. God does no want us to spend our lives acting like a Christian. He wants us to be one from the inside out!"---Christine Caine Stop Acting Like A Christian Just Be One

I just started this devotional book. Caine shares amazing insight to how we should be strengthening our relationship with Christ rather than just acting the part. Her humor makes this book a page-turner. She also brings it down to a level that people can relate. This makes her book motivational, but also challenging to its reader.

The Giver

"The Giver"

In one of my summer classes, our focus is to study Young Adolescent Literature. The class is online and we are required to read two books in the course of the class--one was The Giver written by Lois Lowry. The book won a Newbery Medal in 1994. Thanks to Wikipedia, here's a brief summary:

It is set in a future society which is at first presented as a utopian society and gradually appears more and more dystopian; therefore, it could be considered anti-utopian. The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life. The society has eliminated pain and strife by converting to "Sameness", a plan which has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. Jonas is selected to inherit the position of "Receiver of Memory," the person who stores all the memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed to aid in decisions that others lack the experience to make. When Jonas meets the Giver, he is confused in many ways. The Giver is also able to break some rules, such as turning off the speaker and locking his door. As Jonas receives the memories from the previous receiver—the "Giver"—he discovers the power of knowledge. The people in his community are happy because they don't know of a better life but with the knowledge of what they are missing out on it could create chaos. He faces a dilemma: Should he stay with the community, his family living a shallow life without love, color, sound and knowledge or should he run away to where he can live a full life?

While reading this book, the Lord has been stirring some things in me.(It may just be my reading into the book too much like a true English major--but here goes) I can't help but see the symbolism of myself as Jonas and Christ, The Giver.

What am I doing with the message the Lord has given to me. While the 'memories' the Lord has given to us can sometimes be painful, He also has given us a beautiful hope for the future. As Christians our eyes have been opened and the training we have ahead of us is full of pain, suffering, and death in this world. In a world of grey--the Lord has opened our eyes to color. Sometimes I feel like Jonas, who lives a shallow life without love, color, or knowledge even though The Giver has instilled to be something more complex. As Christians, we are set apart from those around us because we know about the Gospel, but unlike Jonas we are supposed to share with others about our 'memories'.

What are you doing with the knowledge the real Giver has given to you?
Has the Gospel affected you in such a way that you want to "run away" from your old life so you can live fully?

Just some thoughts to ponder...