A philosophy may explain difficult things, but has no power to change them. The gospel, the story of Jesus' life, promises change.

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.

I do not get to know God and then do His will. I get to know Him by doing His will.

I go to church as an expression of my need for God and for God's family.

Jesus gave us a model for the work of the church at the Last Supper. While his disciples kept proposing more organization - Hey, let's elect officers, establish hierarchy, set standards of professionalism - Jesus quietly picked up a towel and basin of water and began to wash their feet.

What would a church look like that created space for quietness, that bucked the celebrity trend and unplugged from noisy media, that actively resisted our consumer culture? What would worship look like if we directed it more toward God than toward our own amusement?

As I read the Bible, it seems clear that God satisfies his "eternal appetite" by loving individual human beings. I imagine He views each halting step forward in my spiritual "walk" with the eagerness of a parent watching a child take the very first step.