In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.
“You see, God is the environment of man. Paul says, ‘For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.’ (Acts 17:28) – fascinating
“Having a renewed mind is not just memorizing a few Bible verses about a problem you are having, although that may be a start… Having a renewed mind involves a relationship with your Creator that actually changes you because of your exposure to deity – truths to live by.”
What are some realities about God that the world – and many Christians – are not aware of?
“I guess the ones in the bottom paragraph of page 113, but while these truths are a wonderful summation of the Christian faith, I would think most all Christians are well aware of them, so maybe he means something else.”
Like the Amazonian tribesman, many people today – including many Christians – experience emotional struggles and destructive behaviors because they are not familiar with their environment – God. List several such emotions along with their accompanying behaviors. 
“fear, anger, frustration, confusion, depression, desperation… (accompanying behaviors, I don’t know. I have a cold today, and my head is not processing well focusing well)”
Using the telephone analogy from the section ‘More Than Relief from Problems’, check the statement that best represents your relationship with God. On the lines that follow the four choices, summarize why you chose that option.
“c. I have sometimes a wonderful fellowship and conversation with God. I feel at times that I really make headway in my personal relationship with him, but I must confess those times are much farther apart than they should be.”
Explain your choice. “Sometimes a bit of [option] b., sometimes a bit of [option] d. I think I’m probably best at a little informal several times a day, especially when I’m driving – thanks for green lights and empty train tracks. But the formal, long, organized prayers feel so one-directional; I know He’s right there listening, but I wish I could hear Him better. When I try to meditate quietly and listen, my mind wanders all over the place or, worse yet, I doze off.”
Praise – “You are transcendent, terrific, terrifying, true truth, trustworthy, and thought-provoking.”
Repent – “I’m sorry I’m using my cold as an excuse for everything today.”
Yield – “I want to communicate better with You.”
Dearest Rachel –
I couldn’t say whether it’s funny or ironic that I’m looking at this particular page of yours, in which you attempt to excuse what you perceived as a minimal amount of effort with the fact that you were fighting a cold, at the same time that I’m dealing with what I hope to be the final stages of a cold, myself. If you were here, you might very well be able to determine which description was more accurate – or maybe you would embrace the power of ‘and’ over ‘or.’ Either way, I wish I could hear it from you directly.
And that being acknowledged, there’s also the likelihood that I’m less connected to God than you were at this time; just like I can’t imagine what you would say on this, so too am I unable to imagine the mind of God on any given matter. This is probably because I don’t engage in the same informal ‘thank-You’s that you would engage in while driving, for instance, or think to consult Him while looking for something lost around the house (which usually seemed to work for you to find the article in question – and lead to another ‘thank-You’ directed to Him). Oh, I’m able to do the more formal prayers you spoke of – and they sound more conversational, and less laden with ‘Christianese’ jargon, than many I know – but they don’t actually feel like the conversation that it should be, either.
Which leads into an additional humorous irony, in that the sermon for today at church is on prayer. I’ve told you before that I never heard the voice of God in many of my big decisions in life, even when I asked about them; not my school, not my job, not in finding you, not much of anything. All I relied on was that He might block me if He thought I was going the wrong way, like Balaam’s donkey (although for all that, He actually had given Balaam permission to go where he was going; why stop him like that?). It may well be that me writing you like this has come from Him basically telling me, “Look, you’re rubbish at art and animation, but you’re good at writing, and you have a unique point of view. Do that, and don’t worry about your reach.”
The sermon also analogizes praying – especially the concept of “pray[ing] without ceasing” to texting one’s wife, and letting her know where you are and how you’re doing. So, is what I’m doing here prayer? No, hardly. For one, I’m addressing the wrong person, if that’s so; but also, I should be looking for answers, one way or another – presumably in His Word, but also in the circumstances that develop. Which, I suppose, isn’t that far from my approach to expecting Him to stop me when I’m off track.
At the same time, it doesn’t feel like a conversation in the way that I talk to a fellow human. Then again, despite having taken the form and lived the life of one of us, He isn’t just another human, but God Almighty, so I probably shouldn’t expect to communicate with Him like I would with a peer. I guess I just don’t know how to go about it properly, any more than you did – although I would (and will) occasionally harness your worst case scenario for nights when I can’t sleep. I mean, it’s an answer to prayer in its own right, isn’t it?
Letters to Rachel 