There are so many varied and exciting opportunities at medical school and only seven days in a week: it’s hard to decide what to do and what not to do. As we consider possible career paths the choices are equally vast and it’s difficult to know how to make a sensible decision. On what basis should we decide what to do with our life? How can we be sure we don’t waste it?

John Piper is a pastor in Minneapolis and author of many books including the bestseller, Desiring God. He has noticed our tendency to nudge God to the periphery of our westernised lifestyles and longs to see Christians joyfully giving their lives totally to God, living to bring him glory whatever the cost. This book is a call for us to do this, so that we won’t reach the end of our lives, look back and cry, ‘I’ve wasted it, I’ve wasted it.’

The book starts by describing incidents that sparked John Piper’s determination not to waste his own life. He outlines his path to discovering God’s purpose for his life, and shows how understanding what Jesus did on the cross will give us a desire to live like this, and challenges us to ‘find the God-centred, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life.’

The book goes on to describe what this means in practice, often using biblical characters as illustrations. He urges us to re-examine the way we live and to change our life and priorities to reflect how precious God is to us, and how urgent it is that others hear about him. He challenges us to take risks for the sake of Christ, discusses how we can use our time, money and jobs for Christ and encourages us to get involved in mission and ministries of mercy.

He ends with a prayer that we would live not to make much of ourselves but to make much of God, to magnify him in all we do - a prayer that we would not waste our lives.

It’s clear the author is passionate about this issue; his arguments are clear and biblical. I enjoyed his anecdotes and the historical and biblical characters illustrating his points I was definitely challenged and inspired to rethink my priorities. This book is fantastic - it will make you passionate about living for God and help you to work out how – read it!

Reviewer:
Sarah Teague