Hillary
Written on May 11, 2016
I am starting to love Philp Yancey. This is the second book that I have read by him and both books have made huge impact on me. I can't remember in which book it was, but I used to be pro-choice but after reading how God personally selects each living person to come into creation out of all the permutations God gave THAT one person to be born into time I became pro-life. It was a powerful message and it struck me right to the core as a christian.
Most Christian books makes people feel like assholes but Yancey writes in such a way that you feel inspired to try and live a better life. I myself am what some would deem not a real christian because I mostly have the attitude that I dont care. I cuss, I do things that I know do not honor God. I dislike conservative fundamentalism, but I have been blessed to know God's grace and mercy. This is what Philip Yancey drives home. That no matter the sin you can always go back to God as long as you repent. He shows what sin does to a person, rather than telling people that they are damned to hell he reveals that sin is its own worse punishment because it separates us from God. Most of us have a deep longing to have that deep communion with their creator but living a life full of sin prevents that, and that in itself is it own worse punishment.
I used to think some sins were no big deal until I read a passage in the book that showed that even the Angels who even THOUGHT about rebellion were damned. God requires and deserves complete obedience. He says it more eloquently than I can but that passage struck me to the core. I mean I lived with my ex boyfriend for two years, I smoke, cuss, dress and act like a well educated whore and I thought those things were no big deal. I am human after all right? Then I read that chapter about how God sees sin and was struck speechless. This is not to say I changed overnight. I havent. I still do these things but now there is a tinge of regret when I find myself acting in such a way. My brain keeps harking back to Yancey's books.
This in itself says a lot most well-known Christians I just think they are self-righteous assholes and turn a deaf ear to them. I never listen to what Billy Graham has to say for example. The man could drop dead, and I would breathe a sigh of thank ye gods another asshole gone. (is he already dead and I don't know it?) But Yancey? Yancey admits his doubts and struggles, and I can connect with him and I see that another person has the same struggles with faith as me, and it makes me pause and think, maybe there is something that all the other people are trying to say but get lost in the air of self-righteous stink that seem to permeate fundamental Christians. If this man has doubts but still holds on the belief and faith that there is something better to live for and tries to act accordingly then maybe I should too.
If you want to read a book that talks seriously about how science tries to break down everything into it basest elements and tries to explain everything and fails. Then read this book. It is filled with wonder examples and rebuttal of what science tries to say. After reading this, I came to the conclusion that there must be an afterlife and a God, who cares how I act. This book won't drags you down into I am a hopeless human territory but rather will inspire you to try and live your life for God. I highly recommend this book.This review was originally posted on Adventures in Never Never Land