Blue Like Jazz

I just finished reading a book my dear friend loaned to me. It's called Blue Like Jazz, and it's written by Donald Miller. What a great book! It's about a regular guy, living his life, trying to figure out what Christianity is. He knows it's supposed to be different from "religion", he tries to figure out what God wants from us, what our role is, and who Jesus is.

The book reads quick - even with my busy schedule I was done in just a few days. It's written like diary or journal entries, so no section is too long, great if you only have a few minutes here and there to read.

I "get" what Christianity is, I know I'm saved, I understand what it means to be a Christ-follower, I feel that God the Father is 100% my "Dad", in every way possible. I appreciate His gift of Jesus, I appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made for us, I understand what an atoning sacrifice is, but I still struggle with what type of relationship I'm supposed to have with Jesus. Let me explain:

If God is my father and he says not to pray to anyone but him, why do so many Christians pray to Jesus directly? I feel like it's wrong when I do it. I pray to God, but ask through Jesus, in Jesus' name, not on my own merit or right. I see Jesus as a mentor, and a friend, but I really long for the romance, the falling in love with Jesus that I hear and sing about. I long for the passion of who Jesus is, and how deep his love for me really is, to sink in. I want that heart-stirring emotion.

I live my life very logically, with very little emotion, everything in black & white - so I'd like my Spiritual life to be so much more.