Living for His glory

When I had learned of my Chem 26 final grade, I knew I had two choices: either to vent out my frustrations at not having acquired a better mark, or to humbly accept it as the sovereign purpose of the Lord. It's a good thing I've been reading John Piper's excellent book, Don't Waste Your Life, during those times. The bestseller book exhorts everyone, young and old, to live only for the glory of God. According to him--and this is precisely in tune with Scripture--life not lived for Christ is not worth living at all.

And so it ocurred to me, like a white streak of lightning in a tumultous sky, that anything good we receive is undeserved. It's all by God's grace. Unfortunately, people have acquired the habit of saying "by God's grace" to sound spiritual and have forgotten the real meaning of the expression: God's grace means His underserved favor bestowed upon sinners like us. I don't deserve my grade at all. In fact, I don't deserve anything. I couldn't boast of any accomplishment that would merit favor from the Lord.

I was wandering through Miranda Hall, looking at the class exemption list, and heaved a sigh of thankfulness. The Lord has answered my prayer: in my weakness, His strength has been perfected.