What is the purpose of life? “To glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” Presbyterians have that drilled into their heads often, and at an early age. We all know that it is true, but what does it mean?
How do we glorify God? We think, by obeying him. That is partially true. Go to church, say your prayers, don’t do anything really bad – keep your sins small, hidden, and manageable, all good things. Go along to get along. We think that glorifying God is a difficult duty, an unpleasant chore, and truly an agonizing bore. But, we have to do it, so we try to toe the line, stifle our real desires, and do what God says.
Wrong. So painfully wrong. It make me weep that so many think of the Christian life in this way. What if, what if, we could glorify God by enjoying him? What if our greatest delight was to know God, adore him, walk with him? The Christian life should feel like a Saturday at the beach with friends and family celebrating! Not like Wednesday afternoon at a boring job that we despise. In your walk with God are you punching a clock, or raising your glass for a toast?
Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” If we find God a delight, he will give us the desires of our heart. If we hunger for God, He will satisfy us – satisfy us with more of Himself! As Christians we are pursuing God, the greatest, most interesting personality in the universe, the deepest most satisfying love that can be known. When God calls us to delight in him he is calling us to something higher and better than our current delights. He is calling us to the only thing that will satisfy our heart’s desire.
God is not the cosmic kill-joy that many suppose he is. He is the all satisfying joy of his children. The source of true delight. So, delight yourself in the Lord, glorify him by enjoying him. That is grace and fulfillment – He will satisfy your deepest longings.