a shout out for John Piper

I found this John Piper book a little late in my life.  I have been reading and re-reading Piper books since 1996, but somehow this one missed my eye 'til this past year.  My advice?  Get it.  Read it.  Camp out on it's pages.

Yesterday I had nothing short of a holy moment when I read chapters 2 and 3:  "The Pleasure of God in all He Does"  and "The Pleasure of God in His Creation." These chapters are two I am considering teaching as theology studies to my girls this year.  Listen to this:

 "God's emotional life is infinitely complex beyond our ability to fully comprehend.  For example, who can comprehend that the Lord hears in one moment of time the prayers of 10 million Christians around the world, and sympathizes with each one personally and individually as a caring Father (as Hebrews 4:15 says), even though among those 10 million prayers some are brokenhearted and some are bursting with joy?  How can God weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice when they are both coming to him at the same time--in fact, are always coming to him with no break at all?...Who can comprehend that God continually burns with hot anger at the rebellion of the wicked and grieves over the unholy speech of his people (Eph. 4:29-30), yet takes pleasure in them daily (Psalm 149:4), and ceaselessly makes merry over penitent prodigals who come home?  Who of us could dare say what  complex of emotions is not possible for God?"  The Pleasures of God, p. 56

If you want to wrestle with some of the deep questions you've always had (or your teenager is now having), read this book.  Piper is a hero for me.  I've often said that if God had made me a man, John Piper would be my twin.(I know that sounds VERY presumptuous.  I do not have nearly the level of learning and scholarly merit that Mr. Piper does.)    His writing and thinking often causes me to scratch my head and wonder how he managed to get inside my head.  He writes things in ways I have thought about, but never penned on paper.   And I am thankful to God that I get to be alive in an era where men such as he still exist, loving God with their mind as well as their heart.