In one of his prayers in the Psalms, David asks God to preserve him (Psa 16:1). The final thought in that psalm is
"You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psa 16:11)Does that strike you as odd? "At Your right hand are pleasures forever more." Really? Aren't we told, basically, to avoid pleasures? Apparently not.
Of course, it's not just here. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) How many of us see the Christian life as "abundant"? Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:38) How many of us have that kind of Christian life experience? "Rivers of living water"? Streams? Creeks? Trickles, maybe? It looks like some of us are missing out.
The problem, of course, is in our definition. We think of "pleasures" as worldly things -- food, drink, sexual pleasures, "stuff" ... all sorts of stuff. What we're missing is the "fullness of joy," the actual pleasures available to us in His right hand. Eternal pleasures.
Think about it. If we saw God as our ultimate source of joy -- our best source of pleasure -- how would that alter our direction in life? It would be like someone offering you sand when you've going to pick up diamonds. No temptation at all. It looks like we don't have a problem of pleasure seeking; we have a problem of not grasping the real pleasures in God's right hand for us.
6 comments:
I agree that God should be our ultimate source of pleasure. Yet it seems like there are pleasures that we experience while on earth that point toward that ultimate pleasure. It seems like finding pleasure in things like nature/creation, relationships, service, and similar things could point us toward God and the pleasures He has for us.
I agree with you, in a sense, but for me I find my greatest pleasure in those kinds of things you listed is to be found in their connection with God rather than incidental to God. For instance, my very great enjoyment of birds isn't in the birds alone, but in how their appearance, structures, behaviors, and design all point to God. (I think that's an "I agree with you," right?) Insofar as the "pleasurable things" in life point me to God, these are much more pleasurable to me. As an opposite example, I like pizza -- pleasure -- but I don't often think of God in the pleasure of eating pizza, so it's not the same pleasure. Not as keen.
Well, maybe you should think about God when you're eating pizza, because pizza is definitely heaven-sent, and gift from God.
ABSOLUTELY! But we tend to prefer the worldly part of pleasure rather than the heavenly part. That's the problem. Okay, my problem. You are much more spiritual. :)
No, you're right in that pleasure in those sorts of things does point one towards God. I find great pleasure in the mountains, but I can't be there without thinking about the wonders of God's creation. I think that's why we find pleasure in family and friends, in that we are created by a relational God to be in relationship. I think that those sorts of pleasures come from being designed and created by God for life in His creation.
It's when we find our pleasure in other things that we have a problem.
It seems like so many of the things that people find pleasure in are either replacements for what we are designed to find pleasure in, or corruption of the things God intended for our pleasure.
Except pizza.
"Except pizza." Yes.
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