Reverent and relevant Christianity

Last night as we were reading the Bible together, Michael started laughing. We were in the last chapter of Ezekiel, involving dimensions for the city, and I am afraid that I was not being quite as attentive as I ought. I asked what was so funny, and Michael replied that he had suddenly imagined what would happen - and if I would even notice - if he read some outrageous number. 'Like a gazillion cubits to the eastward! But then I thought you would notice a number like a gazillion, and anyway, it's the Bible.' We both agreed that the Bible is too revered to be treated lightly in that manner, misquoting deliberately for frivolous amusement, but couldn't quite put our finger on the determining factor for what degree of levity is allowable. We don't have a problem making word plays or jokes about Bible facts or characters (such as Bildad the Shoe-height). I suppose it's an individual conviction.

I was recently reflecting on what degree of importance I accord to my faith, and decided that it's either a very good sign or a very bad sign how intrinsic it is to my life. It's a good thing that my faith is so central and assured, but it might be a bad thing to take it for granted. This comes up in any sort of question about important decisions or books, where a qualifier is always required. 'List the three books that have had the most impact on your life - excepting the Bible, of course.' 'Marriage is the most important decision you'll ever make - after salvation, of course.'

It occurred to me that, in some ways, I really don't feel that scale all too keenly. I felt clearly that the decision to marry Michael was the most important decision of my life - maybe because the salvation question was resolved so long before, and is not a matter open to debate? I was scribbling a mental note to Michael the other day, and thought of saying, 'You're the best thing that's ever happened to me,' when it occurred to me that Christ's love and redemption is actually the best thing that has ever happened to me, or can ever happen. But of course, that's a given. As Michael soberly pointed out when I mentioned this all to him, 'If the Bible really were our favourite book, we'd read it a lot more often.' Of course we read it every day. But did I really want to know all that about the temple and the tribes? Hmmm. Is puzzlement.