July 07, 2005

Life! Liberty! the Pursuit of Happiness!

Psalm 16

You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

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Are you living your life in pursuit of pleasure? Some people might find this question ridiculous or even offensive. Jonathan Edwards, however, would have answered intensely with a shout: "Yes!"

 

Many people think that to become a follower of Jesus is to abandon the pursuit of pleasure. But life with Christ is not a matter of giving up pleasure for non-pleasure; it's a matter of giving up fleeting pleasures for "eternal pleasures." The deepest pleasure in life is found in a love relationship with Jesus Christ. Life with Christ offers lasting and full joy in comparison with a lifestyle that seeks thrills that pass quickly and are nonetheless empty and unfulfilling.

 

C. S. Lewis stated, "It is a Christian duty . . . for everyone to be as happy as he can." Consider the command in Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord . . ."-for it comes with a promise: ". . . and he will give you the desires of your heart."

 

Jonathan Edwards asks, "Can we Christians find anything worthier to respond to with all our affections than what is set forth in the gospel of Jesus Christ?"

 

Are you living your life in the pursuit of pleasure? Sure you are! The question is, What kind? Deep or shallow? Supreme or a substitute? Long-term or short-term? God-honoring or God-belittling?

O Lord, many people ask, "Who can show us any good?" May "the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord." You have filled our hearts with the greatest of joy. Amen.

About the author — Charles Geschiere

Rev. Charles Geschiere has been a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for over 30 years. During that time, he has served churches in Illinois, Virginia, and Michigan. Currently, he is ministering to Vienna Presbyterian Church, where he has served since 2012.

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