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Life as a Vapor: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Faith
"You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).
Living knowing that your life is a vapor is different than just living. Things here are passing away. You’ve got to hold on to what will stand. Savor what matters. This collection of thirty-one articles is full of that heart-longing after Christ that distinguishes Piper’s preaching ministry. Readers will feel as though they have stumbled into a garden as they enter these pages. The Scripture cuts, Christ is exalted in God, and we worship Him.
Life Is Short. Eternity Is Long. Live Like It.
You will exist forever. You and God are both in the universe to stay—either as friends on His terms, or enemies on yours—which it will be is proven in this life. And this life is a vapor. Two seconds, and we will be gone.
In these thirty-one meditations, John Piper will connect you to a fresh understanding of God and a renewed relationship with Him. You’ll find your faith stirred to make every day count for Christ when you consider life as a vapor.
Story Behind the Book
Time is precious. We are fragile. Life is short. Eternity is long. Every minute counts. Oh, to be a faithful steward of the breath God has given me. Three texts resound in my “Redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:16 ); “It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (1 Corinthians 4:2); “His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 ).
Surely God means for our minutes on earth to count for something significant. Paul said, “In the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Philippians 2:16). In the same way, I have good hope from the Lord that my “labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58 ).
Living knowing that your life is a vapor is different than just living. Things here are passing away. You’ve got to hold on to what will stand. Savor what matters. This collection of thirty-one articles is full of that heart-longing after Christ that distinguishes Piper’s preaching ministry. Readers will feel as though they have stumbled into a garden as they enter these pages. The Scripture cuts, Christ is exalted in God, and we worship Him.
Life Is Short. Eternity Is Long. Live Like It.
You will exist forever. You and God are both in the universe to stay—either as friends on His terms, or enemies on yours—which it will be is proven in this life. And this life is a vapor. Two seconds, and we will be gone.
In these thirty-one meditations, John Piper will connect you to a fresh understanding of God and a renewed relationship with Him. You’ll find your faith stirred to make every day count for Christ when you consider life as a vapor.
Story Behind the Book
Time is precious. We are fragile. Life is short. Eternity is long. Every minute counts. Oh, to be a faithful steward of the breath God has given me. Three texts resound in my “Redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:16 ); “It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (1 Corinthians 4:2); “His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 ).
Surely God means for our minutes on earth to count for something significant. Paul said, “In the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Philippians 2:16). In the same way, I have good hope from the Lord that my “labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58 ).
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2004
74 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
John Piper
609 books4,616 followersJohn Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.
John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.
John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 27, 2013
I've been struck lately with how short and delicate life is... how utterly unpredictable it can be, where one minute a person is alive, conversing with you, and the next day he's gone... just like that. And how things here on this earth are all decaying and dying.. trees, animals, people, food,-everything. We can't hang onto things in this life, b/c they don't last. "Every relationship you have now will end" was one of the statements in this book that resounded with me.
And so I was drawn to this devotional, Life as a Vapor, not in a morbid fashion... but sort of in an existential sense...as I've had these feelings and thoughts on my mind for quite awhile now.
There are 31 meditations in it, with Bible verses, commentary and a prayer.. Not all of the meditations are about life being precarious... but there was lots to ponder and wonder about. Sometimes John Piper is a little over my head.. but that's not too surprising :/
I am definitely going to re-read these devotions, here and there... It speaks truth to me, and that is somehow comforting, despite the initial negatives one might feel about the topic.
And so I was drawn to this devotional, Life as a Vapor, not in a morbid fashion... but sort of in an existential sense...as I've had these feelings and thoughts on my mind for quite awhile now.
There are 31 meditations in it, with Bible verses, commentary and a prayer.. Not all of the meditations are about life being precarious... but there was lots to ponder and wonder about. Sometimes John Piper is a little over my head.. but that's not too surprising :/
I am definitely going to re-read these devotions, here and there... It speaks truth to me, and that is somehow comforting, despite the initial negatives one might feel about the topic.
August 15, 2015
In Life as a Vapor: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Faith, John Piper leads the reader through a month of devotions, focusing on specific Bible passages and themes to guide you through your day. Ending off with a little prayer, each meditation is just perfect for the Christian in his or her daily walk. Though I personally did not read it in one month, I found many of the chapters quite refreshing anyways. The way John Piper writes can be a bit dry sometimes; but the message shines through his writing even still. Whether he is expounding a useful Bible verse or simply bringing you helpful encouragement, Piper prepares you for the day ahead and leaves you wiser than when you started the day.
January 8, 2008
i am currently reading this anytime i frequent EBCT.
So every day i am there, i read one.
remembering: a relationship with God is on His terms and not mine. and to have the right eye. a good eye. so as to see true riches.
== definitely a book that i'll keep in my bathroom. if ya get what i mean ;-P
So every day i am there, i read one.
remembering: a relationship with God is on His terms and not mine. and to have the right eye. a good eye. so as to see true riches.
== definitely a book that i'll keep in my bathroom. if ya get what i mean ;-P
April 10, 2010
A collection of Piper's sermons put together in an essay format that can be read over the course of one month.
The theme of the book is that "life is short". My favorite essay was titled "A Call for Coronary Christians", discussing that our spiritual life should be similar to a heartbeat: always beating, always steady.
The theme of the book is that "life is short". My favorite essay was titled "A Call for Coronary Christians", discussing that our spiritual life should be similar to a heartbeat: always beating, always steady.
October 30, 2009
Thirty-one short chapters made this book a nice devotional companion for my morning quiet times one month. Full of Scripture, commentary, anecdotes, and quotes, my heart was continually reminded of the overarching purpose in life – knowing God and living for Him alone.
January 27, 2008
We are but a mist that is here for awhile and soon vanishes. Is this not life itself? What are we doing that counts for anything? Life is short, know God.
Currently reading
September 20, 2010i think its the 3rd time I've read it
July 6, 2019
I have trouble with long-form Piper, but I absolutely adore him in short doses. This is a great devotional to open when I wake up too late for a long Scripture study. Some I respond to more than others, but I always benefit from Piper's exalted vision of God. I overall love Taste and See: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life more, as several of its meditations changed my life in ways I still think about almost every day, but this one is still REALLY good, solid truth from an incredibly smart and devoted pastor.
May 31, 2017
This isn't a lightweight devotional. In these daily readings Piper unflinchingly addresses profound questions and mysteries such as suffering and divine regret, why Satan is left on earth, how to understand life's storms, the open theism debate, God's sovereignty in light of life's calamities, and God's thoughts compared to our thoughts, to name a few. This book will stretch your thinking and lead you to delight in God.
July 19, 2024
"All of us are sinners. We deserve to perish. Every breath we take is an undeserved gift in the vapor-length life. We have on great hope: that Jesus Christ died to obtain pardon and righteousness for us (Ephesians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 5:21), and that God will employ His conquering sovereign grace to preserve us for our inheritance (Jeremiah 32:40). We surrender this hope if we sacrifice this sovereignty." (p 126)
August 11, 2018
This was my first "daily devotional" book. I enjoyed every single day. It was always insightful, most often challenging but not in a "you need to try harder" way but in a "get closer to God" way.
The chapter about faith was my absolute favorite, I was deeply moved by the way Piper described how faith is a non-work by us.
The chapter about faith was my absolute favorite, I was deeply moved by the way Piper described how faith is a non-work by us.
December 1, 2018
There were some real gems in this devotional. What I appreciated about this book and John Piper is his ability to take complex truths that many people prefer to avoid and distill them simply and devotionally.
February 12, 2019
Great, gritty stuff on life & how not to waste one.
July 12, 2020
Short and some good thoughts. Some days better than others
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February 2, 2023
Chinese version nowhere to be found on Goodreads
June 15, 2023
Great stuff here… wish more of the meditations had been related to the title: “life as a vapor”
May 22, 2024
will review later.... lol
but solid read...
10/10
but solid read...
10/10
October 22, 2025
Another great book from Piper
I have read a decent amount of John Piper, and this is a great devotional! I would read it again and again and again!
I have read a decent amount of John Piper, and this is a great devotional! I would read it again and again and again!
March 20, 2017
Best daily devotional I've ever done!
January 4, 2015
Overall, this book presented a good reminder that our lives on earth are short, and that our aim must be to magnify God with everything we have by prizing and enjoying Him first. Piper's Christian hedonism shines through, and he presents devastating critiques of Greg Boyd's open theism, as well as to our culture's objections to God's command that we worship Him alone.
However, this book contained some concerning admonitions regarding approaches to life and calling, without clarifications. One would need to dig into Piper's other writings and sermons for more information regarding his view of vocation, but his assertions about the "ordinary life" in this book were troubling at times. What made the assertions all the more troubling was my profound respect for Piper and the influence he has had on my life.
Chapters 2 and 13 of the book asked a series of questions that seemed to imply that "ordinary" life is a trap, unremarkable, and a wasted life. For example, in Chapter 13 he asked "How does it come about that an ordinary person breaks out of the ruts of humdrum life to do something remarkable?" He also asked "Do you read about the lives of men and women who broke out of the mold and escaped the trap of the ordinary?" He also used the adjectives "trivial" and "ordinary" in his description of an "untroubled American life" and a "wasted life" in Chapter 2. Is there such a thing as an untroubled American life? In fairness, Piper rightly identifies the danger and sin of living a "self-serving" life that seeks comfort at all costs and ignores eternity. However, the apparent intimation that an ordinary life is unremarkable, a trap, trivial, and wasted is troubling.
Certainly, Christ must be a Christian's first, foremost, unwavering, and life-defining passion. However, in light of that passion deriving from the new heart given by God, what does the Gospel call Christians to in terms of vocation? The Scriptures present a well-rounded perspective of vocation, calling Christians to seek to glorify God in all that they do (1 Corinthians 10:31). I believe that Piper agrees with that, but he provides no balance to his admonitions in this book.
Likewise, any admonition concerning the sacrificial life of a Christian must be balanced by Paul's instruction in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 for Christians "to aspire to live quietly, to mind [their] own affairs, and to work with [their] hands." After reading Tim Keller's masterful treatment of vocation in Every Good Endeavor, as well as teaching on vocation by Luther and Calvin, Piper's writing on life aspirations seems incomplete.
Indeed, Piper has briefly discussed the importance of Christians exalting Christ in their 8-5 job in his book Don't Waste Your Life, in which he did a good job showing that Christ can be exalted in the sacrificial attitudes and eternal perspective of such Christians. However, the point is the lack of clarity in his definition of what an "ordinary life" is. If his definition of the "ordinary life" is an individual prizing possessions and comfort over Christ, fair enough and amen. But if his definition divides Christians into classes, with some (missionaries and pastors) really getting it done for God and others needing to step it up to the extraordinary, I'd quote Luther. "A dairy maid can milk cows to the glory of God." Luther battled the Catholic secular-sacred distinction, which magnified those who worked within sacred vocations as those who glorified God more than those in secular vocations. Despite Piper's apparent disagreement with that view in other writings and sermons, he doesn't do much, if anything, to combat it within this book.
With that large caveat, I would still recommend this book. It provided great perspective to begin the day, reminding me that this life will fade soon, eternal souls surround me daily, and I need to think hard before wasting my time and energy on the trivial.
However, this book contained some concerning admonitions regarding approaches to life and calling, without clarifications. One would need to dig into Piper's other writings and sermons for more information regarding his view of vocation, but his assertions about the "ordinary life" in this book were troubling at times. What made the assertions all the more troubling was my profound respect for Piper and the influence he has had on my life.
Chapters 2 and 13 of the book asked a series of questions that seemed to imply that "ordinary" life is a trap, unremarkable, and a wasted life. For example, in Chapter 13 he asked "How does it come about that an ordinary person breaks out of the ruts of humdrum life to do something remarkable?" He also asked "Do you read about the lives of men and women who broke out of the mold and escaped the trap of the ordinary?" He also used the adjectives "trivial" and "ordinary" in his description of an "untroubled American life" and a "wasted life" in Chapter 2. Is there such a thing as an untroubled American life? In fairness, Piper rightly identifies the danger and sin of living a "self-serving" life that seeks comfort at all costs and ignores eternity. However, the apparent intimation that an ordinary life is unremarkable, a trap, trivial, and wasted is troubling.
Certainly, Christ must be a Christian's first, foremost, unwavering, and life-defining passion. However, in light of that passion deriving from the new heart given by God, what does the Gospel call Christians to in terms of vocation? The Scriptures present a well-rounded perspective of vocation, calling Christians to seek to glorify God in all that they do (1 Corinthians 10:31). I believe that Piper agrees with that, but he provides no balance to his admonitions in this book.
Likewise, any admonition concerning the sacrificial life of a Christian must be balanced by Paul's instruction in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 for Christians "to aspire to live quietly, to mind [their] own affairs, and to work with [their] hands." After reading Tim Keller's masterful treatment of vocation in Every Good Endeavor, as well as teaching on vocation by Luther and Calvin, Piper's writing on life aspirations seems incomplete.
Indeed, Piper has briefly discussed the importance of Christians exalting Christ in their 8-5 job in his book Don't Waste Your Life, in which he did a good job showing that Christ can be exalted in the sacrificial attitudes and eternal perspective of such Christians. However, the point is the lack of clarity in his definition of what an "ordinary life" is. If his definition of the "ordinary life" is an individual prizing possessions and comfort over Christ, fair enough and amen. But if his definition divides Christians into classes, with some (missionaries and pastors) really getting it done for God and others needing to step it up to the extraordinary, I'd quote Luther. "A dairy maid can milk cows to the glory of God." Luther battled the Catholic secular-sacred distinction, which magnified those who worked within sacred vocations as those who glorified God more than those in secular vocations. Despite Piper's apparent disagreement with that view in other writings and sermons, he doesn't do much, if anything, to combat it within this book.
With that large caveat, I would still recommend this book. It provided great perspective to begin the day, reminding me that this life will fade soon, eternal souls surround me daily, and I need to think hard before wasting my time and energy on the trivial.
August 8, 2008
This is a devotional book with 31 readings to bolster your faith in Christ. Each one is 3-6 pages long and ranges from topics of self-control to Open Theism. Each reading is Christ-exalting and heart-challenging. My favorite part is that each reading ends with a prayer. I found these prayers to be useful when I was feeling spiritually “dry” and was able to adopt the prayers as my own. I also found them helpful to “jump-start” prayer times by praying about other things that were connected to what he was praying in each line. Piper’s devotions are always practical, but not fluffy. So, be ready to think and have your heart warmed by God’s Word.
January 6, 2011
31 daily readings to hit you hard over the head about living for another day. Each day ends with a prayer of application consecration. Great chapters include, “Taking the swagger out of Christian influence,” “The Fierce Fruit of Self-Control,” and “Why Satan is Left on Earth.”
I read this book for a heart-warmer in my devotions, and I was never disappointed. Cutting my soul quick and deep, Piper hit me over the head with quick convicting snippets of truth. I loved his succinct proclamation of action according to the Word. A great sequel to Pierced by the Word, which I have found myself going back to time and time again. Oh what a blessing.
I read this book for a heart-warmer in my devotions, and I was never disappointed. Cutting my soul quick and deep, Piper hit me over the head with quick convicting snippets of truth. I loved his succinct proclamation of action according to the Word. A great sequel to Pierced by the Word, which I have found myself going back to time and time again. Oh what a blessing.
April 17, 2016
Great little devotional on how short life is and a reminder not to waste our lives on anything less than desiring and enjoying God.
To quote Piper, "God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here."
“whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
James 4:14 NKJV
To quote Piper, "God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here."
“whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
James 4:14 NKJV
April 14, 2008
This is an ongoing read, daily devotional. Piper puts things into a clear context that we are just a vapor in time here on earth, but eternity is certain for us all. Looking at life through the lense of being a creature of God who knows all, has control over all things and whose will cannot be manipulated or thwarted by anything or anyone.
Helps keep a positive perspective on life.
Helps keep a positive perspective on life.
July 22, 2012
Read this in a month, one a day (or all at once like I did!) Piper addresses our hearts and turns us toward the Cross. I loved this book and the topics addressed. The prayers for each chapter were dead on too.
December 21, 2015
This book is interesting, and is best read a chapter a day, which I didn't do, as I had to read it in a week for school. If I had, I think I would have enjoyed it more, and I think it would have been more meaningful to me that way.
January 11, 2013
This book is interesting, and is best read a chapter a day, which I didn't do, as I had to read it in a week for school. If I had, I think I would have enjoyed it more, and I think it would have been more meaningful to me that way.
December 1, 2015
This is one of my favorites. I read it for the first time not quite ten years ago. It's both helpful and challenging and works great for a devotional reading with 31 brief daily readings that are full Christ exalting, soul satisfying truth.
May 4, 2016
I have found this book so helpful. Our lives are short and this book helped me to put it into perspective, we need to be really careful how we spend are time here on earth as we don't have long so we should devote ourselves to nothing less than desiring, enjoying and glorifying God.
February 13, 2025
a great break from your normal devotional material. Get ready for a challenge from scripture
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews