Desiring GodHighly recommended. John Piper is one of my favorite writers and preachers, and this may be his most important book. It lays out a central theme of his ministry – we glorify God by enjoying Him. Since we enjoy God, Piper calls this Christian Hedonism. ( )

Piper beckons us to approach God with the hedonist’s abandon. Finally, we are freed to enjoy Jesus—not only as our Lord and Savior, but also as our all-surpassing, soul-satisfying Treasure.
Desiring God may turn your Christian world upside down. And that will be a good thing, for the glory of God, and for your deepest joy.

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If you are searching to understand what God really desires of your heart, this is a good place to start. You may be surprised by what He desires compared to what is espoused by most pastors and teachers today. When put in the context of Christianity, "hedonism" has an entirely different meaning than we are used to, one that will challenge you to look deep inside to find your true motives and discover God's call.

Piper is an intellect who speaks and writes in a way that is easily understood. His pastor's heart is evident throughout, even more so his passion to know and understand God at a deep level. This is an easy read but it will not be a replay of the usual Sunday sermon. You will find old truths reinterpreted to expose the Father's heart for His creation, and learn why Paul says "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church," (Col 1:24 ESV) ( )

"This book aims to persuade you that The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever" (pg. 18).

Piper explains how he came to this realization and the foundation upon which it stands. He then seeks to demonstrate how various aspects of the Christian life are entwined with our pursuit of pleasure beginning with conversion and covering worship, love for others, Scripture, prayer, money, marriage, missions, and suffering. This Twenty-fifth Edition also includes a helpful group study guide.

It typically takes me a long time to read books by John Piper, and Desiring God was no exception. I think half of what John Piper communicates may "go over my head". However, I find that wading through the portions of Piper which elude me in order to glean the nuggets of wisdom which God uses to transform my life is beneficial. Piper's work is extremely thought-provoking; one must not read it lightly.

Piper is poetic. He paints helpful word pictures. For example: "If the pump of love runs dry, it is because the pipe of prayer isn't deep enough" and "So we see repeatedly in Scripture that prayer is a walkie-talkie for warfare, not a domestic intercom for increasing our conveniences" (pg. 178). I love how Piper writes with a sense of urgency, reminding us that we are engaged in a life and death war.

Again and again, God uses John Piper's writing to stir my passions afresh to pursue the spiritual disciplines, not out of a sense of duty, but for the sake of my joy and the joy of others. Read Piper carefully, with your Bible in hand, and consider what he has to say. You may not agree with it all, but you will likely come away with some valuable insights as a result.

*Many thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!