Bowling Green Covenant Church

“Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise,
but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because
the days are evil.”-Ephesians 5.15-16 [NIV]

“Live life, then, with a due sense of
responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning of
life, but as those who do. Make the best use of your time,
despite all the evils of these days.”-Ephesians 5.15-16
[J.B. Phillips, NT in Modern English]

I have been blessed and challenged this week by a DVD series
by John Piper called, When I Don’t Desire God-How to Fight
for Joy, based on a book written by him. I have not read the
book, but I have enjoyed his exhortation. My best attempt to
summarize the teaching would be to read the title and
ruminate upon what it says. My preaching mentor, Haddon
Robinson, was fond of saying, “Preaching is not for wimps.”
Well, be warned, When I Don’t Desire God-How to Fight for
Joy, is not for wimps either.

Following Jesus is hard work. It is not for wimps. Carrying
“a due sense of responsibility” may work when you’re asking
for Aunt Maxine to please pass the potatoes; it’s another to
ask Aunt Maxine to forgive you for the unkind words spoken
to her in anger. Asking for the potatoes is just good
manners. No great effort to humble oneself is required to do
that. However, to form the words, “I was wrong,” (and to
carry the metaphor fully around the table) “Please pass me
your forgiveness,” now we’re talking “a due sense of
responsibility.” And sometimes sense of responsibility rips
through our soul like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Dr. Piper could have titled his series When I Don’t Desire
to Do Anything Good for God and it would work just as well.
Being careful how we live means knowing what to do when we
do not desire God and/or anything we know will bring Him
joy. J.B. Phillips captures Paul’s intent for the word
“wise” by translating the verse, “Live life…not as men who
do not know the meaning of life, but as those who do.” Well,
this just takes the whole thing to a brand new level doesn’t
it?

Me? You? Live like we know the meaning of life? Are you
kidding? Two plus two I can handle. Making coffee I can
handle. I can even handle doing my own taxes (if I have to),
but living like a man who knows the meaning of life teeters
on the edge of making me certifiable.

Some might say it is the height of arrogance to live like
someone who knows the meaning of life. The only response is
to think about how Jesus lived. It seems to me He lived most
definitely like a man who knew the meaning of life. He lived
life very much by carrying a due sense of responsibility. He
lived life like a wise man. He found His joy in doing His
Father’s will. That is wisdom. That is the meaning of
life-to find our joy, our heart’s deepest satisfaction in
God.

People who know the meaning of life know God is most
satisfied with us when we are most satisfied in Him. They
understand the fight required to live life by carrying a due
sense of responsibility. And they do not shrink from it. It
is hard to ask for forgiveness when I don’t feel like asking
for it, or that I am worthy of it. It is hard to pray when I
don’t feel like praying. It is hard to do all sorts of
things required to follow Jesus. But difficult or not,
wisdom demands they be done. Not because it is the wise
thing to do, but because by doing them we declare our joy in
Him who created us to do them. That’s living life with a due
sense of responsibility. That’s living life like men and
women who know the meaning of life.

You think about that.
MM