I’m boxing up my books for yet another geographical move. And, as a book addict, I can’t help rereading them as I do. I have wept over old journals, been encouraged by old books, decided to give away over 200, and trashed about 100. That sounds like a lot, until I tell you that I still have 4,000+ cataloged books, four four-drawer file cabinets and at least 100 three-ring binders of notes, conferences and research. It slows the process considerably, but I think I now have about 60% of it done (and 80 boxes filled!).
Today, I started in on the “John Piper” section of the library. Books, pamphlets, tapes, CD’s, and DVD’s quickly disappeared into two small boxes, now a larger box is half-way full and I hit a “speed bump.” I picked up SEEING AND SAVORING JESUS CHRIST, and had to sit down and savor the King. I turned to chapter 6 and found these words of reflection on:
“The Queen of Sheba was so stunned at the wisdom and knowledge of Solomon that when she had seen all his house and heard his answers to her questions, ‘there was no more spirit in her’ (1 Kings 10:5). It took her breath away. What then does it mean when Jesus says, ‘The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold something greater than Solomon is here'” (Matthew 12:42)?
“Many who have set out to silence Jesus have said in the end, ‘No man ever spoke like this man’ (John 7:46, RSV). One reason is the incomparable wisdom and knowledge of Jesus.”
Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
John Piper, (Crossway Books, 2001), 57
What follows is a four page meditation on the greatness on the knowledge of Christ. It is worth a read but I am going to conclude here with Dr. Piper’s prayer at the end of the chapter.
“Father, we say with the psalmist, such knowledge is too wonderful for us, it is too high, we cannot attain it. We stand in awe of your infinite knowledge and wisdom. We are filled with questions. But you are filled with answers. There is no mystery to you. There are no facts you do not know, no problems you cannot solve, no events you cannot explain, no hypocrisy through which you do not see. Oh, grant us to see and feel that your all-knowing mind, together with your power and grace, makes you utterly trustworthy. Your counsel takes everything into account, including the past and the future. Your good plan will never be altered owing to unforeseen events. We can count on you. And as we do, Father, share with us, we pray, enough of your great wisdom and enough of your great knowledge that we may live and love and, finally, die in a way that brings life to others, satisfies our souls, and honors you. The lips of the wise are a fountain of life, and oh, how we long to bring life to the perishing. Grant us your wisdom in the measure we can bear. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
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