Blue Like Jazz

I just started reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Miller is supposed to be “a cleaned-up, Gen X Anne Lamott with testosterone” according to Christianity Today. He writes about God from a position of commitment but still sounds like he’s being “human and honest” according to John Ortberg. Miller says, “The more I climb outside my pat answers, the more invigorating the view, the more my heart enters into worship.” Sounds good to me. I even know someone who knows Miller. Rick McKinley is in my cohort at Gordon-Conwell, and is also Miller’s pastor. Knowing Rick helps me understand Miller a bit better. Not everyone is real enough to have Rick as a pastor, and I mean that as a compliment. I’m at half-speed looking for something therapeutic to read, and this is looking like it fits the bill. This jumped out at me today:

I believe the greatest trick of the devil is not to get us into some sort of evil but rather have us wasting time. This is why the devil tries so hard to get Christians to be religious. If he can sink a man’s mind into habit, he will prevent his heart from engaging God. I was into habit. I grew up going to church, and I got used to hearing about God. He was like Uncle Harry or Aunt Sally except we didn’t have pictures.

Miller is one of those authors who makes you think, “I could write that!” except, of course, we can’t. I’m enjoying his honesty. It’s a good time to get real as we’re facing a brand New Year and some overwhelming news from overseas.