Taylor wrote a very encouraging post on his blog the other day. It lines up with what I am reading right now in Life as a Vapor by John Piper.
"You have one life. One very short life. Then an eternity to remember. Does not the suffering in this world seem inexplicable to you? Is not this great, global (and intensely personal) suffering a call to magnify the mercy of Christ by how we respond? Is not suffering a seamless fabric, stretching into eternity for unbelievers? And therefore, are not Christians the only people who can respond with helpful relief to the totality of misery? Unbelievers may relieve some suffering in this vapor's breath of life on earth. But beyond that they are no help at all.
Shall we not then live our lives -- and prepare for heaven -- by strategizing in all our vocations, and with all our talents and all our money, to relieve suffering (now and forever) for the glory of Jesus? The twentieth century was the bloodiest and cruelest of all centuries. Man is not getting better. But God will hold us accountable in the age to come not for what others have done. He will call us to account for what blood-bought hope freed us to do for others in the name of Christ. We will give joyful and tearful thanks in that day for the grace that covered our sin and the grace that caused our love."
3 comments:
I have got to read that book! I read your comment and was going to respond to it, but I got sidetracked. Thank you for your comment though. I really need to get my hands on that book :).
I bought my copy at Metro's bookstore last year, so maybe your church has it as well.
You can read part of it online in Desiring God's resource library. I think you'd especially like the first chapter, "Does it Matter What Others Think?"
It's such a good book (and fairly short too).
That is awesome. I will have to check our bookstore. Thanks for telling me :).
Post a Comment