One of the greatest mysteries of life is that life is a mystery. The human mind, particularly the western mind, has an insatiable desire to explain everything. All things must be explained, all things must be understood, broken down to their bare essentials, and then broken down even further. The questions are always there, Why? and How? What I find very scary and very liberating is to relinquish control. To let go of the need to know why. To trust. And not just in a general, "ok, I'll never know so instead I'll guess I'll just trust," but to really really let it go. Completely just not know, but trust anyway. It doesn't make sense, it might seem foolish, it might cost, but heck, what do I really have to lose anyway? Heh. Its funny, this experience of living in a world and knowing God, and living with people who don't know God, and trying to reconcile the differences and the similarities. The thing about a heart that is in pursuit of God is that the path that God takes us on is completely insensitive to the demands of the world. So, the people around us tend to scratch their heads, huh? what in the world is this guy thinking? But the frickin amazing thing of it all is this: two things that don't belong together end up together- mystery and peace. The mystery of not knowing what the future holds. The mystery of not knowing why things have progressed the way they have, why my circumstances are the way they are, and why I am the way I am. The mystery of not even knowing what today holds. And in the midst of all these unknowns - surprisingly is PEACE. When the whole world is fighting for control of their lives, endlessly attempting to manipulate the circumstances around them. Striving for a sense of security, to be masters of our own destiny. Hungry for love, looking for someone to satisfy the longing for intimacy, or perhaps, disappointed by people, then seeking something that satisfies. Or, eager for success, because money does bring the power to control our future outcome, and it gives security and happiness, and well ... you know, everyone else is doin' it, so why shan't I? Yet the soul who has tasted and met the true and living God - the storms might swirl around, the proverbial poo may be hitting the fan, even when the tragedy of tragedy strikes ... the soul who knows God begins to understand every day that there is no such thing as control. And in that is an unquenchable peace. The peace of knowing a love that is unchanging. A love that is constant, not changing and shifting like people who are imperfect, and relationships that disappoint, but is constant - the only true foundation that can be stood upon and the only thing that never changes. Not with circumstances, not with our behavior, not with anything. A compelling love that exchanges God's abundant life for my life of sorrow and frustration. A love that continually and overwhelmingly pours out itself to cover over and flow into the objects of his affections. Not a one time deal, in a distant past story of someone else's life, but a here and now and forever abiding love. This awesome love that begins to paint a different picture, that wooes us and summons us and beckons us away from the temporal, from what will inevitably disintegrate and *poof*, and instead, beckons us and calls us toward something unseen, yet so unbelievably real, so pure, so relieving to the thirstiest of souls. And so the God of the universe invites each of us, personally, to give up the things that we can't keep, in order to find the things that we can never lose, can never be taken away, that reside in the very depths of our being. Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.