Burned up...
We are discovering that spiritual warfare comes in all shapes, forms and sizes. It can be in the form of sickness, discouragement or just plain distraction. This is a story of distraction, we believe, caused solely by demonic influence.
I’ll start with some background: As some know, I am in the middle of reading John Piper’s book entitled, Desiring God. This is a wonderful, paradigm-shifting book on the paradox of Christian Hedonism. Piper contends, “The ultimate ground of Christian Hedonism is the fact that God is uppermost in his own affections:
The chief end of God is to glorify God
and enjoy Himself forever.
I’ll start with some background: As some know, I am in the middle of reading John Piper’s book entitled, Desiring God. This is a wonderful, paradigm-shifting book on the paradox of Christian Hedonism. Piper contends, “The ultimate ground of Christian Hedonism is the fact that God is uppermost in his own affections:
and enjoy Himself forever.
The reason this may sound strange is that we are more accustomed to think about our duty than God's design. And when we do ask about God's design we are too prone to describe it with ourselves at the center of God's affections. We may say, for example, his design is to redeem the world. Or to save sinners. Or to restore creation. Or the like.
But God's saving designs are penultimate, not ultimate. Redemption, salvation, and restoration are not God's ultimate goal. These he performs for the sake of something greater: namely, the enjoyment he has in glorifying himself. The bedrock foundation of Christian Hedonism is not God's allegiance to us, but to himself.
If God were not infinitely devoted to the preservation, display, and enjoyment of his own glory, we could have no hope of finding happiness in him. But if he does in fact employ all his sovereign power and infinite wisdom to maximize the enjoyment of his own glory, then we have a foundation on which to stand and rejoice.” So he says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him,” and “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.”
I am only 4 chapters into the book, but like I said, it was shifting the way I view God, His creation and joy in Him. Needless to say I was really enjoying this study on God and His Glory.
Now on to the story: One day, I decided that it was finally time to burn some old newspapers and a good sized cardboard box because they were taking up precious space in our living room and really looked horrible sitting there. I emptied the box, with the exception of a few papers, stuffed the fireplace with newspaper and some other papers, doused it with kerosene and threw a match in (I love using kerosene to start our fires, but that’s another post…).
Can you guess where I’m going here? About 10 minutes later I started to stir some of the ashes to make sure that all of the newspaper burned completely when the stick I was using hit a mass of paper. Sure enough, I looked down and there was a book in the middle of the fire. My first thought was that I had accidentally thrown one of Jess’ books in and she was going to kill me! :) How would I explain this one? But after a more careful examination, it was my copy of Desiring God.
As we sat and watched it burn, and up to this very day, neither Jess or I have any idea how the book got in the fire. I had just been reading it a day or two before and I certainly didn’t throw it in the fireplace while I carefully packed it with combustibles. I just ended up in there.
Know this, the evil one is sneaky and will scheme any way he can to distract us from growing closer to the One we love the most. These sorts of things are not just things that happen here in Africa – they happen everywhere. If you don’t think so, you may want to think again…
I am only 4 chapters into the book, but like I said, it was shifting the way I view God, His creation and joy in Him. Needless to say I was really enjoying this study on God and His Glory.
Now on to the story: One day, I decided that it was finally time to burn some old newspapers and a good sized cardboard box because they were taking up precious space in our living room and really looked horrible sitting there. I emptied the box, with the exception of a few papers, stuffed the fireplace with newspaper and some other papers, doused it with kerosene and threw a match in (I love using kerosene to start our fires, but that’s another post…).
Can you guess where I’m going here? About 10 minutes later I started to stir some of the ashes to make sure that all of the newspaper burned completely when the stick I was using hit a mass of paper. Sure enough, I looked down and there was a book in the middle of the fire. My first thought was that I had accidentally thrown one of Jess’ books in and she was going to kill me! :) How would I explain this one? But after a more careful examination, it was my copy of Desiring God.
As we sat and watched it burn, and up to this very day, neither Jess or I have any idea how the book got in the fire. I had just been reading it a day or two before and I certainly didn’t throw it in the fireplace while I carefully packed it with combustibles. I just ended up in there.
Know this, the evil one is sneaky and will scheme any way he can to distract us from growing closer to the One we love the most. These sorts of things are not just things that happen here in Africa – they happen everywhere. If you don’t think so, you may want to think again…
The remnants of my book...
