An Ode to Liz
Liz Gilbert is not a Christian.
She makes that very clear in the beginning of her book, Eat, Pray, Love. She is not a Christian and makes no apologies for it. But for someone who isn’t a Christian, no other person in this past year and a half has made me want to chase after Christ more than Liz Gilbert has.
I finished her book between last night and this morning and when I woke up, I was on a mission. The very first thing I did was to get on my knees and pray, a physical act I have not done in some time. I prayed, then meditated, and practiced hatha yoga while listening to MaryMary’s “I Worship You” on repeat for a full hour. I woke up this morning dedicating a full hour to Christ, another act I have not performed in some time, indeed. Help me stay close to You was my first thought this morning.
I have been ridiculed by Christians for engaging in this book, for entertaining the thoughts of a non-Christian, a “spiritual” person. But I have never been one to be overly bothered by criticism, especially coming from Christians in name only. Well, I shouldn’t go that far, and I shouldn’t be angry with them. I should be sad for them. What kind of Christ do they serve who is so limited and finite that He cannot use any and everyone–regardless of their faith–to fulfill His purpose in someone’s life?
He used Liz Gilbert, and I am the better for it.
READ MORE: EAT, PRAY, LOVE, OBSESS, REPEAT
There were some ideas in the book that I disregard. But it is much more simple when you are grounded in your own faith to use a scalpel on those ideas that do not ring true to your experience with God. But mostly, there were such universal truths spoken in that book that with nearly every page my faith in Christ was reaffirmed.
She embodied a Christian lifestyle moreso than anybody I had come into contact with as of late: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto you.” She chased after God with a fervency I haven’t begun to match, but I want to. She found God. And I want to. I want the peace that surpasses all understanding that can only come from a close walk with God. I want to be real about this thing. And after reading this book, I am certain that I am not doing enough to be close to Him.
I bought this book a year ago when I was hungry, thinking it was about food. But I never touched it. Never read the cover, never cracked a page. It sat on my bookshelf for several months until I moved, after which it sat in a box of other books, until I moved again, after which it sat on my bookshelf for another month.
And then I did something I never do: I looked to craigslist.com as an avenue to meet new people in the city. I saw a woman’s post about wanting to start a wine and book club. I responded, eagerly. She responded to all of the Capitol Hill area women who showed an interest that our first book–randomly selected–would be Eat, Pray, Love. The only emotion I had to that was relief that I didn’t have to spend any money buying a book. And then I read it. And it changed me.
READ MORE ON LIZ: THE BEST KIND OF LOVE
This is Christ. Nothing is random. And no one is not “Christian” enough to be used. God bless Liz, where ever she is, for making the mistakes I made and making them first, and surviving them, and being brave enough to tell the world about them so I don’t feel so alone in it. God bless Liz, where ever she is, for having the good sense to realize that she needed a relationship with God and for being brave and fervent enough to chase Him and tell the world about it. God bless Liz, where ever she is, for the role she played in inspiring me to chase after God with my whole heart, “like a man on fire chases a bucket of water.”
I started out this blog with the post “Hope & a Future,” quoting Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.'” Dwelling on the fact that God has good things in store for me, I neglected to read on in the passage: “‘Then when you call upon Me and come and pray to Me, I will hear you. When you search for Me, you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart.'” (Jeremiah 29:12-13).
I must do it, too.
what an amazing tribute toLiz but mostly to
God who uses whom He pleases to reach whom He needs in His service! God has great things for you to do . EAT, PRAY, AND LOVE YOUR WAY TO GOD’S THRONE, REMAIN IN HIS PRESENCE UNTIL YOUR DESTINY IS FULFILLED!
GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!
Thank you for writing this post. I was given Eat Pray Love for Christmas by my sister who not a believer. She thought the book was by a Christian author. I was not sure if I should read the book because Gilbert clearly states in the beginning pages that Jesus is not the only way to get to Heaven. Like you so eloquently said, “What kind of Christ do they serve who is so limited and finite that He cannot use any and everyone–regardless of their faith–to fulfill His purpose in someone’s life?” I think I will read the book now.