Triquetra

this is one of my favorite christian symbols (and i dont like christian symbols). i think i like it mostly because i associate it with john totten's bulging bicep, on which is tattoed this very symbol of the trinity.


caveat: i dont know what the heck im talking about

ive always been a little puzzled in the back of my mind about the new testament, especially everything after acts. it just seems so random and weird that the word of god comes to us in the form of a letter from one person (or several people sometimes it seems) to a church or another person. and from these letters we have built so much of our idea of who god is. why not DIRECT revelation from god to people everywhere. why couldn't paul or someone write a letter that started, 'to all believers at all times and places...'?
but today i was thinking about how strange that would be compared to the rest of the bible. everything in the bible is historical. im thinking especially of the OT here. it is one party telling or relating a story of how god has dealt with people. even apparently didactic books such as leviticus are set within a time and context and informs the rest of the story. and what is great is that every book is a completely different 'color', for lack of a better word. they are all completely different situations where we get to see God acting, revealing new dimensions of himself. compare genesis to numbers to samuel to isaiah to psalms. its beautiful!
so anyways that is how the epistles are also. they too are set within historical contexts and are not removed from the reality of life here on this planet, as i sometimes wish the bible were, so that god could talk to ME.
digression...
have you ever been down and wanted some personal affirmation or good word to let you know that everything is ok? and when you read the bible, what happens? for me i never get what i want. im not sure the bible works that way. i can't read it in snippets, looking for great aphorisms that make me sigh and smile. when i know i can't get what i want i divert myself sometimes from reading the bible by reading other books about the bible that can put all the 'right' verses together to achieve the emotion i want to feel. the bible however doesn't have a section or index you can look at for when you're feeling depressed, worried, or scared.
however when i really get into it, reading whole books of the bible (even when im not feeling desperate) letting it bump up against me knock me around and wrestling with it; meeting god on his own terms (?), something happens. and its better and different than i could have ever asked for when i was looking to feel better.
digress...
noticed this while reading colosians. is it just me or is this book overlooked much of the time? i dont recall many sermons about it, but its full of great great stuff.
col. 1:19-20
for god was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus] and through him to reconcile to himself all thing, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

and here i thought he died for my sins. there's alot more going on and we get to be a part of it (as the next paragraph in colosians explains)!

set me straight! what are your thoughts?