On 'literary life rafts'.

Re All the Water in the Oceans, The Messy Table blog

I like the image of a literary life raft. Lately I've found myself considering our motives behind teaching our children various Bible stories. Most often the Bible stories taught to children are used--by we adults--as moral examples or lessons of things we must or must not do. The lesson is often about ourselves. But a literary life raft serves a very different purpose, doesn't it? It points us to God, and helps conceptualize our relationship with Him or better yet, how He relates Himself to us. Not distant and austere but near and intimate and considering, providing. Our Provider.

DARLENE MCLEOD, ONLINE

Thank you for the image of the life raft! For sure, it is an image of staying afloat a little more securely than being just a body floating ... but it is not a boat with sides. It is providence providing, but not providing too much.

As I sit in my messy den, combing through sermon resources for my parish, I think of that raft which is the gospel that provokes thought, but gives no easy answers. We need to confront the gospel and wrestle with it.

REV. SYLVIA J. BRIGHTWELL, ONLINE

online extra

Let the conversation continue.

PRESBYTERIANRECORD.CA