Recently I decided to clean out my bookshelf. You see, over the years I have obtained a collection of books that I would consider to be “hippy Christian” books. These are books that over emphasize being a good person, living from your heart/passions, or following a new and emergent form of Christianity. I completely agree that as Christians we should be good people who support the poor, give to the needy, and pray for peace and harmony amongst men. Christians should love people and live passionately for God. We should attempt to reach our culture through loving them as they are and loving them towards the cross.
However, I found that many of these books did not emphasize the absolute sovereignty and perfection of God. They focused more on works and how we live our lives than how we place God first and seek to follow him always.
I am beginning a journey to return to more ancient Christian writings and writing of authors I know to write with the focus of the ancient authors (John Piper, CS Lewis, etc).
The truth of who God is should be our highest priority in life. To know this first and foremost will lead to the other parts of life falling in place.
At the same time that I began cleaning out my book collection, I began to notice that Christians seem to be living just like non-Christians in that they are always looking for something. I have heard about churches who sing this song as a part of their worship services:
They are searching and searching and cannot find what they need: the Sovereign God that they claim to be serving.
We can find what we are looking for! There is no need to search any more!
As a Christian, my life can reflect the truth that is found in this song…..
… far more comforting don’t you think?
(Please do not hear me condemn. Please do not hear me say that I am perfect. I am so far from perfect, but my wonderful father, God is teaching me day by day to rest in him. It’s a process of learning to trust and obey more and more everyday.)
