"Never give up on somethingthat you can't go a day without thinking about."
~ Unknown
Desire and Pleasure
Do what is well and pleasing, O LORD,
To the good, and to the upright in their heart.
~ Psalms 125:4 (author)
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
~ Psalms 37:3-4 (NKJV)
"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
~ Luke 12:31-32 (NKJV)
The Lord is the Creator of healthy desire, and of the good things which satisfy it. Sensual pleasure comes free of guilt when indulged in innocent objects such as the fragrance of a flower, the penetrating heat of springtime sun, a symphony of meadow larks, or a million other wonders of creation. Delights such as marital intimacy, food, and sleep are likewise intended for our enjoyment when given their proper place.
Can you imagine that the Creator created something better than Himself? Is there anything in which we might find pleasure that exceeds God?
Christians would never admit that greater satisfaction exists than what is found in God. But too many believers nod their heads in assent, and then turn back to everyday life in search for satisfaction elsewhere.
Today I challenge you. Consider for a moment where you find most pleasure. What is it that you cannot go a day without thinking about? What is it that never ceases to catch your attention, brings you to open your wallet, finds room on your calendar?
Now imagine that the Lord really does fulfill a deeper desire than whatever that is.
Would you allow that no matter how much of Him has already satisfied you, there is more pleasure to be had for the desire?
Your Father can’t go a day without thinking about you. He doesn’t give up on you.
And He fulfills His desire in satisfying the pleasure you find in Him.
Lord, You are the treasure that I seek. You fill my cup. I bless Your name. You are my all in all. My highest privilege, greatest pleasure, and deepest passion are satisfied in You.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Artwork: "I Will Not Fail Thee" by Derek Hegsted, from hegsted.com
OOh I love this Anne. So true. Can a book deal offer fellowship? Eternity? Salvation? I am 'enraptured' by thoughts of our Saviour. A poor choice of semantics? I'm not sure. It's the only word that feels spot on.
ReplyDeletebeautiful thoughts and picture at the beginning...
ReplyDeleteOh I love this picture, Anne, and the post. I find my thoughts and wishes continually more focused on the great I AM (I read that in John today: "But I tell you before Abraham was born...I AM." Chills!) I consider the change in my heart possible only through the richness of the grace of God. Dip a toe in His water, and He will give you a thirst for the entire well...
ReplyDeleteI feel some conviction reading this. I have this desire to want to want God more. I don't want it to fluctuate with my feelings.
ReplyDeleteI'll spend time with Him about it.
I also wanted to say I guiltlessly enjoy every single one of the sensual pleasures you listed.
~ Wendy
Nothing compares! I love the picture. I purchased this print several years ago with a caption under it that reads ~ I will never fail thee. It is a beautiful picture of resting in His loving arms ~ peaceful in His presence and care. Pure contentment!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post- and I believe you're absolutely right. Too many times we mentally assent, but He wants us to live in this and experience it. So, so good. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteT. Anne, "enraptured" works for me. You're someone unlikely to be surprised by all the words I might use.
ReplyDeleteNatasa, "at the beginning" ? You've been stopping in here long enough that I hope you'd feel comfortable sharing other thoughts about anything after the beginning. You're quite welcome to do so.
Gwen, I love your imagery of dipping a toe and thirsting. You'll surely like the imagery for tomorrow's post.
Wendy, to "spend time" is to spend the most precious commodity we have. I know of no better way to build desire for the Lord, nor to "guiltlessly enjoy" Him as a sensual pleasure.
Patty, I found this image on a site that did not provide author credit. I searched for quite a while and was unable to find it. If you're able to pass along the author's name or the print title I'd be most grateful.
Jason, your comments are a delight. Thanks. :D
Anne, the name of the artist of the print is Derek Hegsted. You can find more of his work at www.hegsted.com. The name of this print is "I Will Not Fail Thee".
ReplyDeletePatty, I'm most grateful to you. I've edited the post to give Mr. Hegsted credit. His work is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful.
ReplyDelete