In a recent sermon entitled 'He Stood by Me and Strengthened Me for the Sake of the Gospel' pastor/author John Piper asks: "If I am about to die and will see Jesus in a few weeks or days, why should I try to know or relearn or see anything, since I am going to know even as I am known in just a matter of days?"
Piper offers the following three reasons:
"Because reading and thinking over what you read is how God speaks to you now and makes himself known to you now — both through his inspired word and through spiritual teachers dead and alive."
"Because reading and thinking over what you read is how God nourishes and strengthens the soul for living and for dying."
"Because reading and thinking over what you read is the way worship is ignited and joy is increased and peace with God is sustained — for the journey and for the final river-crossing!"
"Form the habit of reading now, and don't ever think you can do without it. And if your eyes fail you, and all your friends have failed you, take your food money, if you must and pay to have the Bible and good books read to you. 'The hour of my departure has come, Timothy, bring the books, and above all the parchments.'"
Pastor Van
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