is the name of the book I just finished reading by Don Miller. I devoured his earlier Blue Like Jazz, and equally loved this one. I wish I had it in front of me so that I could post some deep quotations from it, but honestly, what I gathered from all of it is that at the core, living for God is all about relationship. Relationship. Not formulas. Not "I'm right and you're not." Not a system for patting ourselves on the back because we're the good guys and for demonizing the bad guys. Relationship is all about knowing God and falling in love with Him.
The last chapter was especially cool. He gave very convincing (to me) analysis of how Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is an allegory of salvation and true union with Christ. I never thought of it that way, but it made sense, especially now that I'm also reading Will in the World, and have an understanding of the crazy Catholic-Protestant pendulum that was swinging during the era which indelibly characterized Shakespeare's time.
On that note, I'm supposed to be starting a book club with the youth at church, and I was previously charged with suggesting a book for the youth committee to read. I suggested Blue Like Jazz. So far, a guy in the committee I thought would love it was like, 'whatever' about it, and other people are like, "It's . . . interesting, " lol. We'll see. We're supposed to meet to discuss it next month. As far as the youth, I think my best bet will be to first see who is interested in joining the club, to ask what kinds of things they like to read then and go from there. It would be a disaster if I suggested something that everyone would be 'whatever' about.
On another note, God is awesome. He is so awesome, it's ridiculous. Many times I have prayed, written, and spoken aloud that I wish I could hear the audible voice of God so that He could tell me what in the world is going on, and it just dawned on me that God has spoken directly to me in an audible voice before. It was just that He used the voice of my pastor to say it.
Now, I'm not one of those who breathes, eats and sleeps my pastor. Perhaps my cynicism is showing, but those kinds of people bother me a little bit. It's like their whole modus operandi is receiving approval from the pastor; they're mentally and emotionally dependent upon it. They can't dig a glob of wax out of their ear unless they tell him about it and get the green light from him. Actually, more than being bothered by them, I feel sorry for them. But that's beside the point. I see my pastor as an instrument, and I am grateful that he allows himself to be used by God.
This past Sunday was not the first time God has used the preached word to speak directly and very specifically to me in certain situations to let me know that He has heard me. It is really scary the way this happens. What I mean is, it happens in such a way that there is absolutely no doubt that it is God. Instead of detailing everything, suffice it to say that it is such a comfort, such a relief, so amazing and marvellous that the Creator would deign to answer me.
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