I have added an excellent new link to this blog today. The Ooze is an excellent online magazine set up to encourage the church to engage with the emerging culture by developing relationships and resources.

Its a great area to read thoughts and make comments – in other words converse. It holds well the tension between creativity and information, theology and art, and trad and new/emerging voices.

There are loads of good writings to engage with. The lead article today is from Diana Baldwin and called when Bad things happen to good Sims. She likens playing Sims to playing a bit like God, and from that leaps to the question of Why do bad things happen to good people? She outlines some frustration and being unable to protect her Sims in a fire; even though she wanted to she was powerless to do so.

That made me laugh as we were kind of considering that question this morning at the Gillingham YFC team meeting as we looked at Psalm 23. I personally find it difficult to believe that God allows bad things to happen to people so that they learn a lesson, or so that it builds their character or strength. In fact, the comment which goes something like ‘One day you will realise why God allowed this’ really winds me up. It reminds me more of Jobs friends when he is having a tough time. Its fair to say though, that a lot of my team disagree with my thinking. That’s what is so cool about team life and something, I guess, that I may miss.

In fact Rabbi Harold Kushner has written When Bad Things Happen to Good People which sheds some interesting thoughts on this whole area. His bottom line, and I guess mine, is that sometimes God id unable to stop stuff happening due to how he has designed the world. What he does guarantee, however, is to be with us in the situation. And there we are right back at Psalm 23 again!

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

When looking for Psalm 23 on google I found this movie that some of you may like.