Well I got a good start on The Shack yesterday while the boys had their hearing exams. Here is one of the ideas that had me thinking (of the many ideas that are presented): all of the killing that occurs in the Old Testament, which makes God seem so mean and wrathful, is redemption for the peoples. Sin is the peoples' punishment. Think of all of the ways that we suffer because of sin. Greed leads to hate, envy, injustice, even murder. Actually most sins lead to those ends. So sin is actually the punishment; it makes your life miserable. In killing those people- the Philistines, Girgashites, Hittites, etc.- they were released from their sins and could be redeemed. It's a new thought for me, and it doesn't work for things like Uzzah reaching out to grab the ark of God, but if I understood all about God he wouldn't be much of a God to serve. The mystery is part of what makes him God. More thoughts later.