John Piper writes, I will tell you what a tragedy is. I willshow
you how to waste your life. Consider this story from theFebruary
1998 Reader''s Digest: A couple ''took early retirement fromtheir
jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and shewas 51.
Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise ontheir
30-foot trawler, play softball and collect shells. . . .''Picture
them before Christ at the great day of judgment: ''Look,Lord. See
my shells.'' That is a tragedy.
God created us to live with a single passion: to joyfullydisplay
his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life. Thewasted life
is the life without this passion. God calls us to prayand think and
dream and plan and work not to be made much of, butto make much of
him in every part of our lives.
Most people slip by in life without a passion for God,
spendingtheir lives on trivial diversions, living for comfort and
pleasure,and perhaps trying to avoid sin. This book will warn you
not to getcaught up in a life that counts for nothing. It will
challenge youto live and die boasting in the cross of Christ and
making theglory of God your singular passion. If you believe that
to live isChrist and to die is gain, read this book, learn to live
forChrist, and don''t waste your life!