Pleasure Bestowed

We want what makes us feel good. We are willing to endure pain if the result is pleasurable. We will wait years for fulfillment if it's worth it. If the cost is more than the reward, we walk away.

This simple concept is really what drives us. It even drives our relationship with God. We give ourselves to Him as long as it feels good, and we get an easily measurable benefit from Him. When it gets tough, or the benefits aren't easily seen, our doubts build and we are tempted to walk away. Sadly, this happens all the time. In fact, I just saw a friends post about Anne Rice, who famously accepted Christ after years of...well, definitely not living for Christ. She has renounced her Christianity. The story said she was upset with the views held by Christians on issues like homosexuality. Her story is not very different from thousands, maybe millions, of Christians who once followed, but have now walked away.

Sometimes this is because the teachings of Christ lose their appeal to them. For others, like Miss Rice, it seems to be that the actions of Christians have soured them. Whatever the case, utlimately, the pleasure bestowed by a relationship with God is less than or equal to the pleasures bestowed by other things.

Let's be honest- we have all sought pleasure from lesser things over the pleasure of God. And we do it often. Don't get me wrong- I'm not saying don't enjoy the lesser things, but I am saying don't let them take precedent over God.

"OK, Chad, how can I pursue these 'lesser things' and still honor God?" I'm so glad you asked, Random Made Up Reader. The answer, I believe, lies in Psalm 37:4.

"Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Think about that word, "delight." It's not a common word today, so I think a definition is key. Per Dictionary.Com, "to give great pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment to; please highly." We are to take great- I daresay, ultimate- pleasure in God. We are to be consumed by Him and our pursuit of Him. This is the easy to grasp part, for me. Not easy to apply, necessarily, but easy to understand.

The second part is, well, muddy. One reading's emphasis seems to suggest that if the have gotten satisfaction from God, He gives us whatever we desire. Sounds awesome. Except, God is not, nor has He ever been, a genie in a bottle. Delighting in God does not open the door to a new Camaro or big screen TV.

I choose to understand this second half like this: If we are satisfied by God, He begins to shape the desires of our life. The lesser things we thought we needed- he shows us that no, we didn't need them. Instead, we need this. For example: My desire is to own a mountain ranch in Colorado. I pursue this desire all out, but in the meantime, I begin a deep relationship with God. I get lost in Him, and suddenly, while a Colorado ranch would be nice, the deep desire of my heart has become to pursue a missionary project in God's name. God changes our heart to be more like His, not unlike how the person we most love subtley and slowly brings about changes in our lives, even as we are changing theirs. And maybe that ranch in Colorado is still a part of that desire- there are people who don't know Christ in the mountains of Colorado just like there are in Africa.

The issue of pleasure bestowed is that we must first seek our pleasure from God with first importance. Being satisfied by Him- He will subtly and slowly begin molding our desires so that what He finds pleasure in, we find pleasure in.

And really, thats probably much better than a Camaro, in the long run.

Pleasure Seekers

I love skiing downhill, powder flying from beneath my skis. I love getting lost in a good book and watching worlds spring to life in my imagination. I take great pleasure in hiking through mountains and watching thunderstorms roll in across the plains. I enjoy the company of my family and friends. I, like most every other American, am a pleasure seeker.

Millions- maybe billions- are spent every year on our pursuit of pleasure. Maybe its a vacation, or an item we desire. We are collectors of everything from art, to antiques, to toys. We also spend a good deal of time and money in pursuit of a good relationship. We seek the right appearance in our clothes and our physique so we can attract the right friend or potential mate.

I think we are hard wired to seek pleasure. Therefore, I don't think pursuit of pleasure is, in and of itself, bad. Sure, sometimes the thing that gives us pleasure may be illegal or bad for us- or other people- and these pleasures are not something we should seek. But a great vacation, a nice car, a glass of wine or bottle of beer (if you're of legal age, mind you), a good book and so on are things we can and should seek. We are to get enjoyment out of life.

And why is that? For a lot of people, the answer of "human nature" will suffice. I agree, to a point. We don't do things that make us miserable unless it is a means to a pleasurable end. We want to make life easier and more enjoyable.

I believe in God. So, for me, "human nature" is an OK explanation, but it's lacking. I believe in a first cause, and I believe we are made in the image of the God I serve. So, God is also a pleasure seeker.

Now, I don't know if God takes great pleasure in skiing down mountains or reading the latest Stephen King novel. But He definitely takes pleasure in relationships. Specifically, the one He has/wants with you. He works hard to reach out to us, to win our hearts to Him. He has shed blood, sweat and tears- quite literally- for us. And the pleasure He achieves is when you turn to Him, be it the first time or the millionth. And because we are like Him, I believe a relationship with Him is our ultimate source of pleasure. Read the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant," with the understanding that it is God saying that to us as we look upon Him for the first time. As much as we receive pleasure from words of affirmation from a parent or friend, imagine the joy when our Creator offers those words.

But until then, seek the pleasure of His company as best as you can now. Read, listen, sit quietly. Heck, go skiing, hiking, find that ultimate wave, ride in a sports car with the top down, read a good book or watch a great movie.

God, being the pleasure seeker He is, might just be waiting to meet you there.

Choosing Destiny

I do still believe there is black and white in the world. I believe God is good and the devil isn't. I believe it's best to love rather than hate. I believe murder is wrong, no matter the culture. I believe taking care of others is good, no matter the circumstances.

But as I get older, I realize there is more gray in this world. And occasionally, the world is technicolor. The ideas of predestination and free will are usually discussed as black and white. They are, to me, at least gray if not technicolor.

I believe God is in total control. I believe I can freely choose, moment by moment, whether or not to show Him love and respect. I don't believe my choice is strong enough to fully divorce myself from God- if I did believe that, I would trust in a God whose salvation is weak and dependant more on me that Him. I do not beleive that God forces Himself on me in such a way that removes my free choice and though process.

Destiny and Choice are involved in a give and take in my view. Destiny gives us choices, and we take the one that we deem best. Sometimes, we choose a destiny that is lesser- I believe that God is ever working for us to once again- or for the first time- find the better destiny.

I believe God can and does sometimes step in when we go too far from His plan. But sometimes He lets us thwart His plan. God may want me to be a cancer curing scientist, but laziness at studying throws a wrench in there. God may want me to be a humble janitor, but my ambition for power leads me to politics.

So it comes to this. We must believe in destiny. That God does have a plan for us, and that it is the best possible plan for us. Since we rarely, if ever, hear God's direct words on our destiny, we must make wise and faithful choices as we pursue His calling toward us. But we do not get even a glimpse of our true destiny until we first trust that there is a God, and He did die for us, and He did rise from the dead so that our lives might have eternity AND meaning in the here and now. Destiny begins with meeting Jesus. It is learned through the choices we make on whether to trust Jesus, or trust someone or something else.

Essentially, we choose destiny. We choose to beleive we were made for more than this. More than paychecks and bills, more that toys and gadgets, more than even friends and family. Our ultimate destiny- whether we follow God or not- is to worship Him. Whether that destiny is to worship for eternity or for a moment before eternal punishment is the choice. Whether we are meeting our destiny here on earth is the many choices we make daily.

Will you choose destiny?