Chapter 1 - My Search For A Single Passion to Live By

John Piper begins this book reflecting upon his father who was an evangelist. His father would plead with people of all ages not to waste their life. He communicated "stories of conversion and stories of horrific refusals to believe [in Christ] followed by tragic deaths." Piper shared one story in particular about a church who had been praying for an old man to get saved for decades. One day this man came to church and his heart was opened to the gospel and God saved him. He began to cry out "I've wasted it, I've wasted it!" The thought of coming to an old age and crying out "I've wasted my life!" became a fearful thought to Pastor John, as it is now to me, and as it should be to you.

Watch the video below as he retells this story in his own words:

He then went on to talk about a plaque that hung in his kitchen over the sink that read: "Only one life, twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last" A saying that I've heard Leonard Ravenhill quote that rings in my ears to this day. As Piper began to rehash his own story of time wasted and how the LORD used the sickness mono and the support of his fiance to accept his calling as a pastor, I began to reflect upon my own past.

How much of our life has been wasted? How much of your works have passed away that have no eternal value because they weren't done for Christ? We can all think back to mistakes we've made, sins we've committed, time we've wasted. But God is a redeemer of the time and is saying to you as you are reading this that time is precious and from this point forward you must make every moment count.

Jesus Christ became the single passion to live by that Pastor Piper found in his search. Ministry became his mindset, and pastoring became his calling. What is your passion? One of my favorite songs is "One Pure And Holy Passion" by William Murphy III. The chorus sings "Give me one pure and holy passion, give me one magnificant obsession, give me one glorious ambition for my life, to know and follow hard after You." If you don't have a passion, ask God to give you one. As Christians we should all carry a like passion for His glory.