David here. We are winding down our discussion of Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. Miller begins to wrap up his discussion and exploration of his spiritual nature by focusing on Worship in Chapter 17. Miller begins examining Christianity "outside the box" - focusing on the things that we can't understand, yet have faith in. This is how he comes to the heart of worship. Here are a few questions to get your mind started...
(1) Miller begins the chapter by quoting Mother Teresa and her response to a question about how she loves so many people, saying "She said she loved people because they are Jesus, each one of them is Jesus, and this is true because it says so in the Bible." Miller follows up the response by saying this contradicts reality. What do you think about Christian elements that contradict reality? Do you struggle with them? Do you accept them?
(2) I was amazed at Miller's approach to worship and his understanding of God. He said, "When we worship God, we worship a Being our life experience does not give us the tools with which to understand. If we could, God would not inspire us." What do you think about this quote?
(3) Miller later talks about how we have to climb outside of ourselves to draw closer to God, and this is where true worship is. We are "invigorated" by this new view. When is the last time you were "invigorated" by God? Describe the time and circumstance.
(4) Human nature drives us to be able to control everything, even God. We want to direct Him, guide Him, use Him, in a sense so we can undertand Him and have him at our whim. Miller states we are too proud to feel awe and to fear Him. Do you fear God? How? Why? Is it healthy fear or unhealthy fear?
(5) "I don't feel there is any better worship than wonder." Expand this though in your own words...
"Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven and above. With wonder, power, and love, our God is an awesome God."
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2 comments:
I think this chapter may have been my favorite so far, and it ties in with the quote David mentions in question #2. I think sometimes in our desire to make God applicable to our lives, we remove the sacred otherness of God. God is not us; He is so much more than us. That is part of what makes His love so amazing: that one so completely holy and other than us chooses us and says, "I love you."
That was one of the most important discoveries I made about myself during my sabbatical was that I had lost that awe and wonder that Miller talked about. I had reduced worship to an item on the calendar, one of the weekly tasks that had to be accomplished. I was replacing the wonder of God with the responsibility of leading worship. For 2 months, I had a chance to be a congregant, one who did not have to preach or plan the worship service. Worship was not a responsibility, it became a joy. I was able to simply experience the presence of God among His people. Since coming back, I have come to realize that the wonder of God is lost when we allow program to replace His presence.
I have often told David that I think it must be most difficult for pastors to worship, engage in a meaningful Bible study, do devotions, etc. because everything is so closely tied to work. Where does the work life end and the spiritual life begin? How can you fully separate the two when they are inherently tied together? I think that in many ways, pastors must work much harder than everyone else to maintain a meaningful spiritual life.
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