I just finished reading “Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist” by John Piper. It’s a good read. In the book, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn't truly exist: Delight is our duty. I actually used the small group study (The Blazing Center; based on Desiring God) in Common Ground’s men group last year which caused me to want to read the entire book. I finally got around to reading it.
It was a slow read for me because John is a very deep thinker and is a little dry; however, as I made my way through the book I saw a lot of stuff that made sense to me. The last part of the book caused me to think about American Christianity. The part of the book where John wrote how we can find joy as we go through trials and persecutions caused me to think how easy we have here in the U.S.
I remember reading “Jesus Freak” in the late 1990’s; if you aren’t aware of this book it’s a modern book of martyrs that the Christian band “DC Talk” helped to get published. There are 2 new volumes now. I remember reading each story of how these brothers and sisters wouldn’t deny our Lord and paid the ultimate price. John Pipe in the his book told the story of a young lady who endured persecution at the hands of the U.S.S.R. and their gang of thugs who beat the mess out of her twice, but through her reactions two of the members came to know Christ as Savior. Reading in the book of Acts, the apostles rejoiced after being beaten because of their Lord. Where has this joy gone in America?
I’m sure there will be a day that there will be real persecution in America but today we don’t have it. I think Christianity in America will become strong when the day comes when Christians are called out in the street to give an account of their relationship with the church and Christ. Compared to the Chinese and Russian Christians, we are soft. I pray when the day of persecution comes to American, I will be able to find the joy of Christ in it.
How about you?
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