I Want to Make Much of You, Jesus

April 19, 2006

On Monday, I started reading John Piper’s book, God is the Gospel. My first impressions is that it is challenging, refreshing and I am looking forward to getting more into it. My prayer is that it will cause me to view the gospel with a fresh wonder and be refreshed by the good news.

Here is a challenging passage from the book:

“The acid test of biblical God-centeredness – and faithfulness to the gospel – is this:

• Do you feel more loved because God makes much of you, or because at the cost of his Son, he enables you to enjoy making much of him forever?
• Does your happiness hang on seeing the cross of Christ as a witness to your worth, or as a way to enjoy God’s worth forever?
• Is God’s glory in Christ the foundation of your gladness?”

From God is the Gospel by John Piper, pages 11-12

As I begin this book, my heart’s cry is that I would make much of Him, make much of Jesus. I think about the song,Much of You, from Steven Curtis Chapman’s last album. Piper’s writings inspired this song and it is the desire of my heart that I would live my life to make much of Jesus not look to be made much of myself. The challenge the book has brought forth in my mind is, in what ways do I desire to be made much of by God and how do I desire lesser things above the all-satisfying gift of God Himself?

Reading this book is one more step in the journey I have been making in considering God’s glory and what is means to live for His glory. John Piper has been a big part of that journey and another book, Revolution Within, has been very helpful in understanding on a very practical level what it means to live for God’s glory (see earlier blog entry for more about this).