"The Wastefulness of Grace." A simple phrase... yet anything but simple. Paul Young (William Young), author of The Shack, used this phrase while we were hanging out with him two nights ago, and it's impact has not waned; in fact, it has only intensified. "The Wastefulness of Grace." It's true. God could very well be accused of wasting the most precious of gifts - grace - because of how foolishly He offers it to people that continue to turn away, people like me. But He does it anyway, because He loves, and therein lies all the explanation we have. It is not easily understood nor will it ever be... as Paul shared, we are just invited to partake. He said, "it's taken me 50 years to learn about God's love." And his journey continues.
Videos With Paul Young (The Shack) & Ernie Johnson (NBA on TNT) Below...
We heard that Paul was in Atlanta traveling around speaking to different audiences and making himself available to meet people at multiple bookstores and sign their books. We called him after lunch this past Tuesday and left a message basically saying, "hey, can we get a picture with you and the Vanagon?" Within an hour Paul called us back and was excited to get together... and he gave us so much more than just a photo opportunity. The funny part came when he told me that a friend of his was going to be with him and wondered if he could bring him along. "Absolutely, who is your friend?" Paul replied, "Ernie Johnson. Do you know him?" Are you kidding? Yes, the NBA on TNT is a staple for many of the Catalyst Team members. Ernie was playing host to Paul and driving him around Atlanta... so Tuesday night we were invited to meet Paul Young and his driver, Ernie Johnson. :-)
Here is where it gets even funnier. The Vanagon is in the shop getting new speakers (thanks to JRD Tuning in Braselton, GA, our sponsor for ALL custom upgrades in the Vanagon) which meant that the only way we could have a true "Road Trip Rendezvous" would be to meet in the shop with the van, but we were not going to be able to get together till after 11PM. Niclas Jancic from JRD is the unsung hero as he gracioulsy stayed late and kept the shop open for us so we could meet.
Ernie Johnson and Paul Young obliged our request to ask a couple of question on camera, and because Paul will be speaking at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, October 8-11, we wanted to provide you with a brief introduction. Two videos follow - 1) An Introduction of Paul Young, and 2) A chance to hear from Ernie Johnson about how his friendship with Paul Young began as a result of the The Shack.
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Catalyst, it's a pleasure to introduce you to Mr. Paul Young, author of The Shack...
Catalyst on Vimeo.
"He doesn't heal us so he can use us.
He heals us because He loves us, and then He invites us to play."
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How The Shack Brought Ernie Johnson & Paul Young Together...
Catalyst on Vimeo.
A thought. What do you think of giving DR a copy of The Shack? Do you think he’s ready for it?
Comment by Sally Hanson - Mar 28, 2008 @ 03:01 PM
He uses us because He has healed us, and we love Him. We “play” because we are healed.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Eph. 2:10
Comment by Stephen C. Allen - Apr 02, 2008 @ 10:24 AM
It makes me physically ill to read this line:
“God could very well be accused of wasting the most precious of gifts - grace - because of how foolishly He offers it to people that continue to turn away, people like me.”
How dare you accuse God of doing anything foolishly.
I have nothing more to say to you.
Good day.
Comment by John - Aug 07, 2008 @ 07:53 AM
hey John, thanks for your honest comment. Just curious - why would it be negative to think of God’s love as foolish given His continual offering of it in spite of our proven inability to really appreciate it. It seems like the quote from Paul Young highlights God’s amazing and persistent love while also admitting an honest view of our own humanity. Your thoughts are passionate and stirring - please elaborate, love this dialogue! Thanks again for sharing…
LV
Comment by LV - Aug 11, 2008 @ 08:57 AM
Regarding the Wastefulness of Grace:
God knows exactly what he’s doing. His wrath is being withheld until the day of judgment, and in the meantime the world is experiencing his grace. However, all sin WILL be punished, either directly or through the death of Christ. The specific grace of Christ’s atonement is only applied to those whom God has chosen. Maybe you (and I) can’t fully appreciate it now, but you will someday, and it will NOT have been wasted. As for the grace given to those outside of Christ, it is only temporary (and I would add necessary for the world to exist at all), and when the time comes, they will be judged… probably even more so than if they had not been given grace since they do not appreciate what God is giving them now.
Romans 11 -
28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?”
36For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
PS - As for my original complaint (From Google):
Definitions of “foolish” on the Web:
# devoid of good sense or judgment; “foolish remarks”; “a foolish decision”
# anserine: having or revealing stupidity; “ridiculous anserine behavior”; “a dopey answer”; “a dopey kid”; “some fool idea about rewriting authors’ books”
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
# lacking good sense or judgment; unwise; Resembling or characteristic of a fool
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/foolish
Comment by John - Aug 11, 2008 @ 01:00 PM
Anyhow… umm… grace.. can we call it - amazing? I hope I’m not accusing God of something bad - maybe it should be Nice Grace - how sweet the sound! :-)
Comment by Toby - Aug 21, 2008 @ 09:33 PM
I agree with John. The fact that someone would say that what God did in giving us grace, which we dont’ deserve, is wasteful and foolish is thereby calling God wasteful and foolish. If that’s the case, then that same person can’t believe in a God that is omniscient. How can a God who is omniscient do anything that would be considered a foolish decision as if not knowing the consequences of the decision that was made?
Furthermore, if that same god was omnipotent and yet lacked good sense and judgment, what are the implications of the ends that may be done by his otherwise questionable character? This sounds more like we are talking about the gods of the ancient Greeks rather than the all knowing, all present, infinitely just, infinitely Holy, three in one all powerful God of Christianity!
What say you to these questions, supporters of “The Shack?”
Comment by CJ - Feb 22, 2009 @ 03:39 PM
‘Wastefulnes’ may not have been the best choice of words but I think that what the author might have meant by it was ‘lavishness’. God has given grace beyond understanding - overflowing, abundant—you pick the word—overflowing to the point of incomprehension - that’s how magnificent what God has done. Wastefulness does have the connotation of being foolish, but I think the author loves God, and so in that context, what he meant was he’s overwhelmed by the utter abundance of God’s grace & mercy. Not everything in the book appears biblical, but in other areas, there are some things which can be learned here.
Best wishes to all,
Dave
Comment by Dave M - Mar 19, 2009 @ 08:34 PM
WILLIAM PAUL YOUNG IS GOD!!! Forget about a man in the clouds! *Bows to WP Young*
Comment by WP Young Exhaulted Worshiper - Apr 01, 2009 @ 07:38 AM
I am in the middle of reading this book, and am very fasinated with it. I have first hand felt the pain that Mack feels. 3 years ago we lost our son and he was only 3 months old and i was very mad at God for letting such an innocent baby go soo soon, i have just recently come to peace with the lost of my son, because i know that he is indeed in a better place in the loving arms of God, or Jesus, sometimes i wish he was still here but i guess he had more inportant things planned for my son. I am not saying that i do not miss him because I miss him like crazy, i would do anything to have a weekend with these three special pepole, for all of my unansweared questions and for the great company.
Comment by shawntell hebert - Oct 27, 2009 @ 07:54 PM
My wife lost her first husband at a very young age. I know that she still misses him from time to time. I also know that she understands that God is in control of eveything. Knowing all of that, she has never attempted to find solice in a gospel other than the One the Apostles preached. If these men are only speaking in half truths, then they are also speaking in whole lies. I pray you find your hope in God’s truth, not the fallible words of men. I also pray for protection for all those who seek God, but fall prey to the evil one who roams around like a roaring lion seeking those whom he may devour.
Comment by CJ - Oct 27, 2009 @ 10:03 PM