Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
I've been studying the book of Ecclesiastes. Along with listening to teaching on it as well by Pastor Matt Chandler at The Village Church in Dallas, I've dove deep into understanding the underlining message of King Solomon in the text. So this blog has a chance of being very similar to the Pacifiers and the Death Bed Question blog I wrote last month.
So, let's do some groundwork first. First of all, you have to believe that God is for your joy. Like, you have to, just have to, believe deep down in your heart that God is for your joy. And that He's not withholding things from you, that He's not keeping you from having fun, but He's ultimately for your joy. If you disagree with that, then, this blog may not carry the weight that it has the potential of carrying in your heart. For anyone to truly feel the weight of this blog and this text, we have to agree on some things. First of all, ALL THINGS were created by God and for God. Secondly, sin is simply a perversion of design, meaning that when we are disobedient we are not behaving how God designed us(James 1:23-24), and when we abuse things that are given by God and using them in the wrong ways, that's what sin is. So in that, I say that sexuality, marriage, sex, money, pleasures, friendships, all these things are created by God, His design. And since they are His creation, He knows how its supposed to work.
Are you with me?
All things are created by God, so therefore can only be fully enjoyed when done how they were designed. We can't fully enjoy our new sleek iPhone trying to use them as spatulas to flip burgers. So, let's go.
So, living deeply is this new idea and life philosophy I have of enjoying things how God designed them. It's a response to the book of Ecclesiastes in which it talks greatly of how EVERYTHING is vanity and meaningless. That all things will come to an end. That all of our pursuits can be vane to a certain degree. "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 1:14
Claude, this blog is not very encouraging.
Hahaha. Keep flowing with me. So in response to all things being vanity, the message is, MAKE IT COUNT.
MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT.
Now, there are some filthy messages out there that seemingly say the same thing, like YOLO and "You're Only Young Once", but those are taken out of context and perverted. King Solomon is not saying that at all, but what He is saying is this, ""A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?" Ecclesiastes 2:24
So the YOLO principal can be applied, except in the realm of IN GOD. So you only live once, so make it count, IN GOD. Enjoy pleasures, IN GOD. Enjoy fun and laughter, IN GOD. Enjoy sex, IN GOD. Because what I submit to you is that IN GOD is where we will find the greatest fulfillment of all these things. If God is for our joy--- and He his, aggressively, ----then we will find great joy IN Him and be able to fully enjoy these things IN Him. Do you see the common denominator here?
IN HIM. IN GOD.
So yes, I am saying if you're not IN GOD then you're not living. You're missing out on greater things, or more immeasurably greater things. Yes, I am saying you are cheating yourself of thinking you can enjoy creation without the Creator. Yes, I am saying you are the person desiring the pigs pods when God is offering you the fattened calf. Luke 5:11-32. Yes, I am saying you are desiring shallow things when God wants you to enjoy things deeply. Joy is deeper than happiness. Yes, I am saying you are wanting Ramon noodles when God is grilling steaks. Sin is beneath you, God is the best for you. You are cheating yourself, selling yourself short. Desiring Oldsmobile when you have the Ferrari.
Are you getting my point?
Deep friendships. Having friends that know you and love you and challenge you and pray for you. Deep relationships. Having relationships that honors God and passionately seeks to serve one another and die for one another.
Deep sex. Having the companionship of a deep friend in a deep relationship. An undeniable spiritual connection and physical connection and deep affection for this person, and you're engaging in a beautiful act that brings you two together as one.
God wants you to enjoy these things, but we've figured out ways of settling for the least, such as porn and lust. Men, God wants you to long for a woman and her body, Adam responded the same way. Don't feel bad that you desire women, but allow God's word to transform you in realizing that we shouldn't pervert that desire by wanting ALL of them, and even desiring the one on that porn site. Women, God wants you to long to be a wife. Don't allow pastors and singles coaches to make you fear that desire. God wants us to enjoy relationships. So stop letting the devil convince you that ALL men are the same, and that ALL women are the same. All men are not dogs. All women are not manipulators. God wants us to enjoy deep friendships. So stop letting betrayal in the past keep you from making new friends. Being vulnerable SUCKS when it's abused, I know, I've been there. But there are people out there that will love you for you, that you will be able to trust, that you will be able to allow to love you. So come out of that brokenness and enter into a new realm of understanding that God is for you, and in Him you will find healing.
GOD IS FOR YOU. And He's screaming, ENJOY ME MY CHILD.
SON, ENJOY ME. BE WITH ME. LIVE IN ME.
DAUGHTER. ENJOY ME. BE WITH ME. LIVE IN ME.
Readers and friends, let's live deeply. Enjoying life. Soaking up God given pleasures. Realizing that His law is for my joy, so I delight in something being so concerned about my joy and my well being. That a God cares enough to delight in me and want what's best for me. Drink deeply from the well of fulfillment. Smile. Heal. Love. Risk. Dream. Drink. Eat. Laugh. Sleep.Work. Rest. Trust. Be Still.
Live Deeply my friends. Live Deeply.
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