I've been blogging for a couple of years now. Sometimes vigorously, often sporadically. I wrote about books, music, mission trips, daily life, reflections on Scripture, sports, politics, and more. And therein lies the problem. I was never sure what my blog was about. I once heard Ravi Zacharias say of Hinduism, "She's opened her arms so wide, she swallowed herself." That's how my blogging had been. I wrote about everything, and thus the blog became about nothing in particular.
So I'm trying something new. "The Divine Nevertheless" is going to be much more narrow. I'm going to write reflections on Scripture. I love the Bible. I love to read it, mediate on it, and teach it. So I'm going to write about that. No more sports or politics posts. I suppose I'll have the occasional book review, but the great majority of my writing will be devotional.
What about the name? Eugene Peterson once praised Dostoevsky for writing novels that consistently involved the reversals of human assessments. X happens, and we think Y should be the result. But then grace breaks in and turns cause and effect on it's ear. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," etc. Peterson said Dostoevsky's characters were shaped under the rubric of the "divine nevertheless." Yes, the character has this weakness, and this is what should happen to him, but nevertheless... That sounds like the Bible to me. That sounds like grace to me. As U2 so aptly puts it, "Grace makes beauty out of ugly things."
So there you have it - "The Divine Nevertheless." I hope you'll read often and comment as Scripture comforts, challenges, and transforms you.
Look forward to it, brother. Of course, I can see how your reflections on scripture will preclude posts on sports...but I'm convinced that the biblical message, particularly the life and teachings of Jesus, has profound political implications (though remaining non-partisan, of course) :)
ReplyDeleteAnd great choice of a name.
Brantley - good point re:the political implications of Jesus' teachings. I think you are right, and perhaps I should clarify. At the old blog I posted fairly often about news stories on politics. I probably won't do much of that here - outside the scope of the blog. But as I reflect on Scripture, of course there will be political implications and applications which both I, and others, should make.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's true for sports as well. Whenever the subject of "curse" comes up, I'll make sure and reference your Cubs.
Well, then, okay. Especially if you promise to refer to Wrigley Field exclusively as a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth."
ReplyDeleteNow quit distracting me and let me get back to writing (yes, I'm blaming you).
As I read in Tabletalk today: "It is the continual attempt to plumb the depths of the gospel message and its application to all of life that matures us"
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading!