making much of Christ

I loved John Piper's article in World recently called "Marry. Cry. Rejoice. Buy. And do politics as though you were not doing politics".

One quote: "Marriage - good or bad - is for making much of Christ."

Is it not so with other things as well? Every circumstance of our lives is crafted by God in order that we might "make much of Christ" by it, whether it seems to be good or bad. Barrenness or motherly weariness: make much of Christ in it. Health, or debilitating sickness. Joy, or sorrow: for Christ is our comfort in sorrow, and He is greater than our highest joy.

No matter what situation you have, God has given it to you that you might make much of Christ in it. Do not envy the grass that seems greener elsewhere; rather thank God for the pasture in which He has divinely placed you, for you have opportunity there to make much of Christ in a way that others cannot.

"...Political life is for making much of Christ whether the world falls apart or holds together. ... for the Christian the best is always yet to come. Always. The Lord gives and takes away. But He remains. ... The best this world can offer is short and small. In the long run Jesus wins. ... We are here to show, by how we use the world, that Christ is more precious than the world... to show that Christ, not the world, is our treasure. ... Make much of Christ, not Caesar."

Indeed. Make much of Christ - not children, or money, or health, or joy, or the lack of these. Make much of Christ!