Desiring God by John Piper.This is one of my most favourite Christian books. This book opened my heart to God in a deeper way. Pastor John Piper led me to a way where I could have a deeper fellowship with the most awesome God in the universe!!!
Here's my favourite quote by John Piper and the quote which is referred to many times in the book.
"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
I have recently relished the meaning of this statement. In my recent prayer, I realised something that reoriented my thinking again.
It is that whatever the world may offer me, it won't satisfy me deep enough. Anything the world offers me is limited.
For example, money, sex and power. All these things can satisfy me but not forever. With a lot of money, I can buy all the things I want. Houses, cars, books and whatever I may desire and I will be very satisfied but the truth is there's gonna be a limit. I will be satisfied for a time but satisfaction that money brings does not endure.
Sex. A key word for many in this era and age. I am single. I want to get married someday. I know sex will bring me deep pleasure and satisfaction but not forever. There's a limit to satisfaction that sex can bring.
Power. I want control. I have an innate desire (which I'm sure many have, too.) to control my circumstances but become frustrated when things don't go the way I want. If I had a lot of power in terms of position, status and fame, I'd be very satisfied. But the truth is there's a limit to power, too. Even if I was the ruler of the universe, what next? There's a definite limit to it.
Here's what Solomon says after gaining all the wealth, fame, power and ladies that he desired.
The words of the Teacher(Solomon), son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher(Solomon).
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 1:1,2
Solomon is despairing after he got all of the things he desired. He saw the absolute limit of all things. He couldn't go further, he couldn't do something more since he's done it all and he's got it all.
OR had he?
Ponder the size of your heart. Let me ponder the size of my heart. What would take to fill my heart to the brim and overflow? Money? Power? Sex? Fame? Praise of men?
Will that satisfy me so deeply that I'd say that I'm the happiest man in the world? But what next? I know before I even got them. There's a limit to these things.
I know and I feel that my heart can only be filled by something that is limitless. And I'm saying it's Someone, even God Himself. Only God can satisfy my longing.
God can fill my heart to the brim and overflow. The human heart was fashioned in such a way it won't be truly satisfied until it reached its Source, the limitless source of love, joy and peace that come from having God in our heart.
The answer / solution / truth to filling our heart is God! And it's Jesus, the Son of God. God becoming a man to identify with us.
Jesus lived a perfect life that I couldn't live, and died the death that I couldn't die, to give me Life, Himself.
The true satisfaction and joy and peace are found in knowing Jesus, and His Spirit in me and you.
John Piper explores what it means to be a Christian Hedonist (someone who pursues pleasure as an ultimate goal and motivation.).
If you want to read it right away, buy the Kindle edition which is an e-book that you can read on your computer, or else buy the paperback or hardcover versions by clicking the appropriate buttons under the formats. :)
