Everyone at some point has probably experienced a rhema movement when a scripture jumped out like a direct message to you from the Lord. Recently, I read a statement that seemed more like God had placed a flood light directly in my face. It wasn’t even a verse in the Bible, yet totally based in scripture. It was the answer to first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. A catechism, usually a small book, gives a summary of core Christian beliefs. The Westminster published in the 1640’s was formatted in the form of question and answer to facilitate memorization. Question #1 asks, “What is the chief end of man?” Although I had read and heard this multiple times, the Holy Spirit used the answer to open up a completely new understanding of God to me. The answer, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” To glorify God, “Ok, knew that” and taught it all through my ministry but the second part, ‘to enjoy him forever’ screamed at me. This may not say anything new to some of you, but for me, it became a personal word from God. Like the last piece of a puzzle, it connected the pieces from my personal study and spiritual journey for the past year.
I spent most of my ministry in ‘work oriented’ churches. Many of you understand that term because you have been and still are in such a theological setting. A simple definition for you who are unfamiliar with the expression, ‘work oriented’ churches teach that you must add good works to maintain your salvation. This put believers in constant tension wondering if they had done enough. An underlining effect results in Christians unable to enjoy God because they see Him as taskmaster telling them, “not enough, you can do better”. The statement, to enjoy God forever, brings an entirely new light to one’s relationship with God. Although, ‘enjoy God’, is not stated in those exact words in any translation, the concept is all through the Bible. This is a key theme in the Book of Philippians. Paul sums it up in 4:4, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! This could also be translated ‘have joy in the Lord always’ in other words enjoy the Lord always. The grammar of the verb means habitually, moment by moment, day after day. Note also the church at Philippi was in the midst of distressing afflictions (Phi 1:28-30) yet Paul tells them, rejoice (enjoy) the Lord.
Even those outside the ‘work oriented’ mentality can miss the enjoyment they can have in God. Several issues hinder this kind of relationship. The major cause results from not knowing or comprehending this is the reason God created us. Covetousness follows close behind. We express coveting in numerous ways: greed, unsatisfied, not enough, “I want more”, and “I need that”. Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world with everything they needed, and free to enjoy God when He walked with them in the cool of the day. Satan tempted them to want more. No one can deny Solomon had accumulated everything anyone could desire. Yet, he concluded it was all meaningless because lasting joy never comes from earthly possessions. Another cause of why we don’t enjoy God is distrust. Until we completely trust God and His Word, a bit of fear lingers in our heart—fear He won’t take care of me; fear I won’t like His plan for my life; fear I can’t please Him; fear the Bible is wrong; fear…fear…and endless things to fear.
John Piper adds the way we glorify God is by enjoying him forever. The ‘by’ brings another aspect. We don’t just glorify and enjoy, we glorify God ‘by’ enjoying Him. God receives glory because we enjoy Him. This affirms we satisfied in Him. It indicates He is all I need. Corrie Ten Boom discovered this relationship with Christ. She wrote from a Nazi death camp, “You may never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.”
Several issues stopped me from enjoying God. First and foremost was false teaching. After understanding the truth, it was then a battle to conquer all the residual effects it had created. Always trying to win God’s approval hindered me until scripture showed me He had already approved me through Christ—no greater approval could be gained. Trying to please men was a huge stumbling block keeping me from enjoying God. The obstacle many people struggle with is self-acceptance, poor self-image, or being who God made them to be. When someone ask “what’s your dad like”, my children respond, “strange.” Being strange, different, or eccentric can cause us to feel worthless and unworthy. This prevents us from enjoying God because we are too busy trying to fix ourselves. For me, I finally realized and accepted God made me who I am. I certainly wasn’t glorifying Him by working to make myself into someone else.
To enjoy Him forever—forever doesn’t begin when we die, forever begins now. May the Lord shine His flood light of understanding on you!
Sustaining Word for the Week: Your chief end is to glorify God by enjoying Him. Are you enjoying God? Are you glorifying Him?