This past week, God has used several people to rekindle not just my mood, but an intense, white-hot, on fire passion for His glory. Rachel Cole's sincere questions (and incredibly beneficial conversations), Sarah Cole's challenges and experiences, Bob Browder's encouragement, everyone in Primerica who didn't bash me for taking the job with Haddock but only encouraged me, Nathan Carr for taking the time to talk to me at Starbucks, Matthew Bertram for his careful questions and interest, Tom Leonard for providing me with the iMic that I had been wanting... these are just a few of the things that are coming to mind when I think of this past week.
But I owe a tremendous debt to John Piper. His works, His God-soaked passion... I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to God for coming across the works of this Christian Hedonist. Some people get all bent out of shape and might accuse me for being man-focused, or not being God-focused, because I pay so much attention to Piper. But I read 1 Corinthians 11:1 today in our corporate worship service, and you know what Paul said?
"Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ."
Paul is telling the Corinthians, "Look, in the area of Christian liberty, look at what I do. I don't do whatever I want, as that's not liberty. What it means is that I am now free to do what is pleasing to Christ. So watch me, Corinthians. Learn from me. Imitate me."
And I can't help but think that when Paul says he's an imitator of Christ, the principle or thought from the following verses wasn't in his mind:
"Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You... that to all whom You have given [Me, I] may give eternal life." (John 17:1-2)
You see, as Jesus was seeking to be recognized in order to bring glory to God, Paul is taking a cue from that and telling the Corinthians to look at him (which brings attention to Paul), not for his own glory, but for the glory of Christ. And in the same way, Piper imitates Christ like no author I have read or paster I have heard in that God is his all-consuming passion. He glorifies God by being satisfied in Him. And I want to know the God of this man.
So, I've learned much this week, have grown in my understanding of the "old, old story," and am hungering and thirsting to hear more of it.
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