We barely got into chapter seven today, so we will plan to study the balance on Monday, December 11. I told the local group that if you have read nothing of this book so far, read chapter seven! This chapter puts in biblical language what Piper started out saying in chapter one.If most American Christians hope in the same things American non-Christians do (and I think he is right in saying this) then it is no wonder people rarely ask the reason for the hope that we have. If I value the same things as my unbelieving neighbors it is not because the Bible is unclear about what it means to follow Jesus.
I am particularly burdened by this chapter because I have too often fallen into what Piper calls an "avoidance ethic." I ask "What's wrong with it?" instead of "How will this help me treasure Christ more?"
3 comments:
Why is it that whenever I think I'm going to be able to come to bible-study, something happens?
Someone quit at the nursing home, and so I am stuck working this Monday... and the next Monday is Christmas... and the one after that is new year's... (and I work, too!) Perhaps, (and yes, thinking of it, I will!) I will be able to come to biblestudy by some time in January? Maybe I'll bring my gentleman along if I'm able to get to bible-study while he's still around. :D
Chapter seven is awesome. So is chapter 5... or which ever one was about risk. I liked that. Just about every chapter after chapter 2, I've had about a zillion things underlined or highlighted for myself- a lot of it being just upon reason of Piper saying things in just the most EXACT way to me.... makes me think "I can't think of it in any other words now..."
So, I actually finished reading the DWYL over Christmas break. And I know I have not been very involved with the Bible study at any level. But I was made very uncomfortable by the thougth that we do not feel the "weight of God's glory." I mean, I started to think about why don't I live differently if my hope is so different from what the world hopes in? and the answer I found coming to mind repeatedly is that I do not feel the weight of God's glory in my life. I long to be revived, to really experience God in the true sense, to live with His glory as my one and only ambition. Yet, I so often settle for the fading things of this world. Why? I am convinced it is because I do not live daily in a consciuos realization of who the God I serve really is! I know a lot about God...I learn it every day at school (which is a huge blessing) but as our wise and (not too old) : ) haha! Pastor has always said..."Theology is exciting!" and so it is. How drastically would my life change though, if instead of just knowing of God...I actually lived with the conscoius reality of how great He is. It makes me think of the song, "How Great is our God." Guys, we know our God is great, but we fail to live like it all to often...and that is shameful.
sorry for the typos--I didn't proofread!
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