no, this isn't about ou. 

since i can't seem to come up with anything on my own, i present two borrowed thoughts.

the first is an excerpt from friend and fellow squarespace blogger meegs. i always like reading her thoughts on God. the second is a prayer from 16th century explorer sir francis drake [thanks rachel].

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If the only God I know doesn't threaten my way of thinking and behaving, I submit that I probably don't know the real God at all. If the God I know behaves in predictable ways, doing just what I want so long as I push all the right levers and buttons, then I probably don't know the real God at all. If the God I know seems to be reading to us from a book called 101 Ways to Improve Your Self-Esteem instead of the book called The Glory of the Lord Will Be Revealed, I probably don't know the real God at all.

I'm tired of only knowing the God that's defined by me, instead of knowing the me that's defined by God. We all want something bigger than ourselves. If all God really does is validate my ways and my wants, then all that's left is a very small, sad, me-centric existence. I want to know the God who threatens me, who challenges me, who is dangerous, who makes life unsafe. I'd rather know the real thing than live with a pale shadow.

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Disturb us, Lord, when
we are too pleased with ourselves.
When our dreams have come true
because we dreamed too little.
When we arrived safely
because we sailed too close to the shore.