Faithful readers, I apologize for the absolute silence the past few weeks. Things have been rather ridiculous here in the beautiful pueblito of Parral, Chihuahua. My good friend David spent the week away from school all last week, and I helped cover some of his classes (those which began at 7:30 in the morning: ouch!). On top of that, high school classes began last week, which added another nine hours of teaching to my schedule. Needless to say, after teaching 6 classes in a row, 3 days in a row, I was bushed!
I don't have a whole lot of time to tantalize your minds with creative and profound thoughts, which I always feel the pressure to do as I publish my thoughts on the Web. But, I would like to briefly relate to you what a good work God continues to do in me, softening up my heart and mind.
Lately, I've been reading a book by John Piper entitled Desiring God. I highly recommend it as a profound read. I have been challenged to look at life through different lenses as I read this book. The main thrust of the book is to expose the glory of God and point to it as our true human desire: to know God and be with him, which is the greatest pleasure of all pleasures. He uses the parable of a man finding an invaluable treasure in a field and then going to sell all his possessions in order to buy the field, in order to obtain the treasure. As created beings, our greatest possible pleasure is to know and enjoy our Creator. Piper contends that the whole point of life is to become a Christian Hedonist: addicted to the pursuit of true pleasure, which is found in no other place save God alone.
Being in the Gospel of John at the same time has made me very conscious of this theme which weaves in and out of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the grace and truth of Christ is revealed the exact image of the Father, in whose fellowship the Son took the fullest pleasure. And through the ridiculous mercy of God, he has ushered unworthy, filthy rebels into the midst of that fellowship, into the midst of the purest pleasure that can ever be experienced. And if this is the case, why the heck am I not reveling in it?
May you experience the fullness of the pleasures found at the right hand of the Father (Psalm 16--read it before you go to bed tonight and chew on it for a while).
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2 comments:
That's funny...I am still reading Desiring God...I got side tracked on another book for a while...and I have been reading through the gospel of John for my devos! I know exactly where you are coming from...pretty awesome! I agree...a must read! When our joy is found in God it is full and complete! I get all excited just thinking about it! ;0)
Thanks for sharing and for pointing to Psalm 16. Good stuff!
;0)My fav verse in there is verse 11, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Can there be anything more enjoyable than being in the Lord's presence? That is pure inexpressible joy! Glad to see the ways God is working in your life!
Yeah Billy, Thanks for covering last week. But come on, can it get any better then 31 7th graders first thing in the morning, i submit that it can not. Piper is taking over our small apartment, we just need to get mica reading a piper book...
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