Confession

I must admit that when I started reading Don Miller's book "Blue Like Jazz," I didn't like it. I found his writing to be sporadic and without thought. I had a hard time seeing what people were getting out of this book and why it was on everyone's reading list.

Last week I decided that I was going to try reading it again, laying aside my instant judgement and thoughts. I found out something about myself that wasn't written in the pages but God was showing me this: Everything doesn't and won't fit my plan. It fits his. Period. I don't have to like it but regardless of my like or dislike, I can choose to praise God or reject his plan.

After starting to read what Miller has to say....I actually like and resonate with this book. To tell the truth, I haven't been able to put it down. Here is my favorite quote:

"A friend of mine, a young pastor who recently started a church, talks to me from time to time about the new face of church in America - about the postmodern church. He says the new church willl be different from the old one, that we will be relevant to culture and the human struggle. I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. It is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing."

If we get caught up in Religiosity and start defending our religion, rather than, sharing Jesus we lose sight of Christ and trade it instead for, as Miller puts it, our passion about nothing. We tend to surround ourselves with everything "Christian". Drinking our mochas at christian coffee shops, accidentally spilling some on our christian T-shirt while listening to our Ipod's with the latest and greatest christian music. I'm not bashing on all products christian...but if we convice ourselves that we are best serving Christ by listening to music or drinking a mocha then we are guilty of being busy about nothing. I have talked with several people about this and it is surprising to me how many Christians don't know anyone who is lost.

I don't want to be the wicked servant who buried the talent so that he could escape his master's wrath.(Mat 25:14-28) I don't want to do just enough. I want to hit the ball out of the park, score the winning touchdown, or get the knockout.

I realize that this post may not make a lot of sense to you. I have wrestled with the idea and I'm not sure I have put it in words that make sense. My confession is as simple or as difficult as this:

I want to make a difference for Jesus Christ. All stereotypes aside I want to be found doing His business. Only Christ saves...only Christ. He died for me, I'll live for Him, no matter what that means. I guess as I'm typing this it sounds simple. But typing/saying it and living are two different things.