Companionship

My sister Barbara enjoying the dance.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family

 by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. 

This is what he wanted to do,

 and it gave him great pleasure.

 Eph. 1:5 (NLT)

God takes great pleasure in his children.  Whether we love to dance or cook or play sports he loves to join with us in all we enjoy.  He came to give us an abundant life full of beauty and joy. Even in the struggles and the hardships, he is there to support us and his presence can beautify even the most unlovely and unpleasant situations.  

God went to a lot of trouble to make a way for us to be close to him.  The process he had to go through of being born as a human baby, living on this troubled planet among troubled people, and finally dying at the hands of sinful men was not an easy one.  In fact, his death was the most excruciating and painful that any person has ever suffered.  And yet, he was not only willing, but eager to go through all of that and for what?  - so that we, his precious creation, could come back to him and live close to him.  He simply wanted to be with us, to enjoy our company and make us part of his family and he was willing to pay any price to make that happen.

Lord, thank you for going through so much so that we could be restored to companionship with you. Thank you for the joy we experience as we enjoy life together.

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;

 He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

 Ps. 149:4 (NASV)

Christian Hedonism

Some wildlife at Dove Valley Ranch.

What a pleasure it has been walking early each morning on the golf course, the sun low in the east, the grass fresh, the birds singing and the bunnies scurrying around.  I feel such joy and pleasure in all God has made.  The walk from tee to green has become for me a place of worship and prayer.

The experience of such joy and pleasure in all that God has given is sometimes attended by a small amount of guilt.  Shouldn’t the Christian life be more about struggle, more about suffering for our faults?  I am reminded of that old Christian classic, The Practice of the Presence of God, a conversation with Brother Lawrence a 17^th century lay brother in a Carmelite monastery.  He entered the monastery thinking that there he would suffer pain for his faults and sacrifice his life with all its pleasures to God. But, he said that God had disappointed him.  He found nothing but joy and satisfaction in his life there.  To him “whether he lead us by suffering or by consolation”, it was all equal to a soul truly resigned to God.

I was startled, recently, when I heard a new phrase – Christian hedonism.  It made me chuckle.  How could the word “Christian” be combined with a word like hedonism which is a reference to self-indulgence and living for worldly pleasure?  It sounds like such a contradiction.  The term, coined on the website Desiring God (www.desiringgod.org), is a reference to the idea that the more we enjoy God and find pleasure in him, the more we will want to please him and the more our lives will be a reflection of his life.  What an awesome idea.  Makes sense to me.  What a contrast to the try harder mentality, which usually puts us in a state of guilt, eventually hindering our progress. We do not live the Christian life by gritting our teeth but by enjoying God’s spirit flowing through us.  

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalms 16:11 (NIV)

Read more about Christian hedonism:
http://www.desiringgod.org/about/our-distinctives/our-beliefs/what-is-christian-hedonism

Gifts

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

James 1:17 (NIV)

How I have enjoyed all the wonderful blessings and gifts of Christmas!

Our children and spouses, 

Conversation and laughter, 

Beautiful scenery, 

Fresh air and sunlight,

Peace and harmony,

Food and feasting,

Simple gifts,

A meal beautifully prepared,

A warm fire,

Lights shining on the tree, 

Love.

                                    

All of these are the gifts you have given. How rich we are, how blessed. 

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Cor 9:15 (ISV)

Don't trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, 

who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

1 Tim 6:17 (KJV)