Silence and The Shack

God is deeply involved in our lives, whether we acknowledge it or not, weaving themes that speak to us. I have noticed in recent years that there are times that these themes are represented in a variety of forms, but if our eyes are open and if we are paying attention we might begin to recognize what He is trying to teach us. Certain times in my life I have been plagued by thoughts only to have them addressed in a variety of forms, speaking deeply to my heart. Or there are other times where you almost feel inspired by something and yet subdued by reticence and doubt and then you open up the Bible and everything seems to be pointing to that or conversations with friends or anywhere.
I have read two books back to back that are seemingly very different and yet they grapple with many of the same things. Both are firmly recommended. The first is called “Silence” by Shusako Endo. It takes place in Japan in the sixteenth century. Missionaries had been met with great initial “success” in that the church was growing and people were following Christ, including important leaders. In a drastic shift, heavy persecution is doled out upon believers that are spared upon apostatizing by trampling upon an image of Christ. The protagonist is a Portuguese priest that sets out for Japan after hearing that his revered mentor had in fact set his foot upon the visage of Christ. This book is a fascinating journey that follows the questions and doubts that fill the priest. He is steadfast in his dedication and yet asks God over and over again why He is silent in the face of their oppression. As he struggles he learns to look at Jesus in a new way and how to listen for his voice.
The second book is also a work of fiction called “The Shack” by William P. Young. It is cleverly crafted as if the author is simply relating someone else’s story. The main character, Mack, struggles with his daughter being abducted and murdered in an old shack. Years later he decides to return to the shack and is met there by God in the form of three people that he has intimate, heart-breaking conversations. Again, this story struggles through doubts and pain and wondering where God is when everything comes tumbling down. Fascinating conversations. This book is also well written in the way things are described and the richness of it all as it comes together it is actually hard to stop reading. You find yourself going through it too quickly and wanting to go back and cherish and mull over some of the things. It is written in a deeply personal manner that makes you wonder if it is in fact fiction.
I hope to be changed by what I have read and to be aware of what is being spoken to me. I also see the power of literature that carries messages, themes, questions across stories that touch our hearts more deeply as they are more vulnerable as we grow attached to characters and identify with their lives.
Check out www.theshackbook.com for more information. Let me know what your thoughts are on it as well. Always open to more learning.
Open eyes.

bluelikejazz

I picked up the book Blue Like Jazz at the beginning of last week simply because I had heard so much about it. It seemed like everyone was reading it so I decided to see what the big deal was. Honestly, I did not want to like this book but I did. The author's candid honesty and humor just make the book flow very well and make it so that you never want to put it down. Sounds like a cheap action novel doesn't it?
I would call it autobiographical in a sense, which I was really not expecting when I picked it up. He is very willing to admit his mistakes and sometimes surprises you with the comments he makes about people and the thoughts he was having. I wonder if the people that he knew when they read the book were offended or surprised at all. Who knows?
I like that he is willing to grapple with questions of our faith that so many of us have and is real about it. It appeals to our postmodern generation that is no longer satisfied with facts but we want to feel what we believe. I think that many of us can easily identify with his writing. It got me when he said that we all love ourselves too much and are not good at loving others. At the same time he says we have to love ourselves in the right way and be willing to accept love if we are to truly be able to love. I thought, man, how true!
His struggles are real. A lot of us have trouble knowing how to share our faith or are scared of what people will say or ask us.
I like how he does not have it all together and how he's always learning, learning from the people you would least expect it. I like how he talks about getting a beer and smoking a pipe--yes Christians do this! Christians think they cannot do it or people think that Christians judge them for doing that. This guy Don Miller is real, he has been through the fundamentalist stage and made it out alive. He understands that our faith is something we share and live out. He has a sense of humor and is artistic. He is willing to listen but does not stray from Jesus being the only truth.