I visited my local LifeWay this week and picked up two new books. My love for reading developed when I was in seminary...because I was never a reader before then. Now I crave a good book that will challenge me, help me dig deeper into God's Word and help me fall more in love with my Savior. So what did I pick up this time?
The new buzz has been all about David Platt's book "Radical" so I wanted to see for myself what the hype was about. I was fortunate to attend seminary with David and we went to the same church where he served as the missions pastor. Before graduating from seminary he actually taught one of my evangelism classes and almost on a daily basis we were all in tears with a burden for the lost. You won't find a more passionate heart when it comes to world missions. I knew this book would be good but I wasn't quite sure I was ready to wrestle with the truths laid bare on the pages. I'm only four chapters in and it's been quite a challenge. It's an easy read getting through the text but the application...well that's another story. The nutshell summary is David giving a challenge to believers to forsake pursuing the American Dream to embrace a life completely surrendered to Jesus Christ. The truth is that this shouldn't be a "radical" life but to the outside world and unfortunately to a lot of professing believers this concept is pretty "radical." Truth be told if we truly lived this way the only thing "radical" would be the impact we had on the Kingdom of God here on earth.
The second read came pretty hesitantly. My dear friend Tina Propes turned me on to John Piper in 2003 when we worked camp together. I just recently finished the first Piper book I picked up in 2003. Just kidding....but he isn't an easy read by any stretch of the imagination. His writing is meaty and though you may get through a chapter it will probably take two or three readings to comprehend what you've read. If I'm in this boat alone please don't tell me how easy of a read Piper is for you. I grew to appreciate the writings of Piper in seminary but had to take a sabatacle recently because of the idol he was becoming for our Christian Studies majors. I felt like I was hearing the name Piper more than I was hearing them talk about Jesus. I reluctantly picked up another Piper book this trip. The name of the book is "Taste and See"...a book of 140 meditations on savoring the supremacy of God in our daily life. Much easier to take in 2-3 pages at a time...and it's been a great springboard into my time with the Lord in the mornings.
I'd recommend both if you're looking for something to read these days.
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