This itty-bitty 51 page read is less a book and more a pamphlet, a plea, a call to action. John Piper dives in, digs deep and says it straight from page 1. Finally, a book that is just small enough to keep our small attention spans and evoke thought enough to push us in the direction of positive and lasting change. A read that lingers on our thoughts and rolls around our hearts.
I read through it once in 15 minutes.
I was struck by this: "Risk is right." This sentence punctuates the book often.
One of the first ways I noticed intentional repetition in the Bible was seeing the word "truly". I'm not sure what about that word struck me initially, but it is said no less than 31 times in the Gospel of Matthew alone.
"Truly I tell you..."
The same power I felt by the discovery of that word (truly) struck me again in the repetition of this new phrase (risk is right). John Piper is reaching through the pages, as the disciples did long ago, grabbing you by the shirt collar and saying...RISK! TRULY!
What will it take for us to realize that this life is all we have. It is one. It is finite and it is purposed for us as believers to spend risking for the Lord. Period. Piper says if we are not running towards risk, we are running away from it. Why would you run from your one true calling in life?
You don't like it? Well Piper reminds you - God never promised roses, sunshine and abundance. But he did promise blessings, riches enough and most powerfully - he said we can trust that he is great enough to sustain us, to the end of our days. Shutting the book you realize the connected-ness of it all. Piper leaves you no options, no outs, no wimping. In fact, he works hard to dispel the twisted notions we have of any kind of safety and security at all.
Rightly so.
If you proclaim faith, you are commissioned to live a life of risk for the Lord.
If you don't live a life of risk, than you say the Lord is not powerful enough.
If the Lord is not powerful enough, than all is lost.
Truly I tell you...risk is right.
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