My friend Terry and I are reading and discussing Gregory Boyd’s book God of the Possible, and it’s got me thinking again about whether or not God takes risks and whether or not he truly allows freedom of choice in his creation. If we did have true freedom, then we would choose what would happen in certain (but not all) scenarios.  And if God isn’t the one making the choice, isn’t that a risk for God?

Another question that is coming to mind as I read is whether or not randomness is part of God’s design. Does it shrink our theology (or our ontology) to say that God has designed us and has room for chaos?  We are unique, with purposed design, but perhaps our view of God’s sovereignty gets bigger as we begin to believe that God expects a certain amount of havoc and is not intimidated by it.

Imagine a God who accomplishes his purposes in the midst of a world full of risk and freedom. Imagine a God who rules over a world he has set loose, not to abandon, but to love and relate to. Imagine a God who doesn’t push each little thing a certain direction, but participates somehow as each thing bounces off another in a cosmic, God-glorifying dance?

Scary, huh? Now we are talking the “fear of God.”