I have come to know a God who has a soft spot for rebels, who recruits people like the adulterer David, the whiner Jeremiah, the traitor Peter, and the human-rights abuser Saul of Tarsus. I have come to know a God whose Son made prodigals the heroes of his stories and the trophies of his ministry.

A God wise enough to create me and the world I live in is wise enough to watch out for me.

Whenever faith seems an entitlement, or a measuring rod, we cast our lots with the Pharisees and grace softly slips away.

I think God isn't interested in intervening every time some little bad thing happens. God is interested in getting the message of good news and love and comfort and hope across through people like us, ordinary people, or extraordinary people like Bono.

Indeed we are all in peril if the flawed messenger invalidates the message.

At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice.

When I am tempted to complain about God's lack of presence, I remind myself that God has much more reason to complain about my lack of presence.