Confessions of a Church: True Joy
The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines. Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
If it feels good, do it.
This catchphrase is one of the foundational principles which governs the world of fallen man.
Men, women, boys, and girls go to great lengths to avoid pain and maximize pleasure. A life of ease and comfort, where all is pleasurable and painless is thought by many to be indicative of having done things right and lived a good life. Pain, guilt, angst, shame, and heartache merely harsh one's groove, so they are to be avoided at all costs. We live in a world of hedonists: people who believe that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life.
Solomon lived this type of life. Wine, vineyards, vast properties, gardens, parks, fruit trees, slaves, flocks, silver and gold, singers and concubines. All the pleasures of men. Nothing withheld. Solomon, with his great wealth, his vast empire, and wisdom from on high, denied himself nothing. If his imagination could conjure it up, he indulged in it. What did he gain from this hedonistic lifestyle? What do we gain as we elevate pleasure to a level in which, whether we actually say it or not, it becomes our chief end?
Solomon said that, at the end of it all, the pleasure he derived was his reward for pursuing after the pleasures, and considered it to be striving after the wind and unprofitable. How could he say this? Clearly, an aspect of the way God designed us is with an ability to experience joy, and pleasure. Being filled with joy, being happy, having a desire to be pain free and comfortable, these aren't bad desires, are they?
Depends.
Modern man believes that randomness, chance, and magically appearing laws of physics interacting over billions of years has shaped the world in which we live, and since this is all there is, no spirit, no afterlife: then let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die. For modern man and his self proclaimed superior wisdom, the pursuit of pleasure is the chief end, and he pursues it slavishly as he is manipulated by the cause and effect of physics and chemical reactions in his brain. What brought him pleasure yesterday, fails to stimulate him today, so he needs more, or different tomorrow. Endlessly pursuing after that one thing which will bring about perpetual pleasure, becomes an exercise in striving after the wind. Think about: wealth grows wings and flies away, food turns into waste and you are hungry hours later, the music you enjoyed months ago grows stale; the new color scheme you decided to paint your house with years ago is now drab; the wife of your youth 5, 10, 20 years or more into marriage, the wife who has stood by your side, kept your home, bore your children, suddenly seems outdated. No longer bringing you pleasure, she gets traded in for images on a screen, or the newer model at the office.
Pleasure is not bad, or wrong to desire, but the question is: What is your chief end?
The first question in the Westminster Catechism asks "What is the chief and highest end of man?"
Answer?
Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever.
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
So, in our life's journey, one question we ought ask ourselves is, "Am I seeking God's glory in this pursuit or, is my end goal merely the fulfillment of my own pleasures?".
Put another way, "Am I being led by the Spirit, or by the appetite of my stomach." "Am I a slave to my wants, or a slave to Christ?"
This was the realization which King Solomon arrived at. The mindless, Spiritless, fleshly, carnal pursuit of pleasure was arbitrary and meaningless because in the flesh: ultimate, sustainable, lasting pleasure could not be attained. This type of pleasure was fleeting, and left one enslaved to it in an endless vain pursuit.
However, there is a pursuit after which true joy may be achieved. There is worthwhile labor and toil which, in the end will not be in vain. We all know the truth of which I speak, it's just sometimes we need a reminder.
“O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed (happy!) is the man who takes refuge in Him! ”
Psalm 16:1-11 says: Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.” As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
At this time if you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins before the Holy, Holy, Holy Triune God.
Heavenly Father,
Creator of Joy, peace, pleasure, and giver of good gifts: please forgive us for exchanging the truth of You for a lie, worshipping the creature rather than the Creator. Please forgive us for believing that we can vainly pursue after your good gifts of pleasure apart from You, the Giver.
Father please remind us that at Your right hand, seated on His throne, is Your Son, the source of pleasures evermore. Help us to be satisfied with Him, seeking to glorify God as our chief end. Help us to recognize that as we trust in the finished work of Christ, even our darkest hour can be filled with joy, knowing that all things are working together for our good, to the praise of Your glory.
In Jesus's Name we pray, amen.
Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to his church:
2 Timothy 1:9-10 [He] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 05/30/2021 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)