OUR GOD IS A GOD OF PLEASURE!

Matthew 11;26.   "Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."  Our God is a God  of pleasure, to please.  We can give Him pleasure.  Just look at His creation.  Your own body.  How pleasurable He made it.  His presence.  How pleasurable.  Even sleep!  It is so pleasurable to sleep, to eat, sex, a massage.  Love, peace. Created in His image.
     I'm afraid we've turned pleasure into lust.  But that doesn't take anything away from our God.  Look at the rainbow, the flowers, the beauty and pleasure in the seasons.  The pleasure of seeing a daffodil poke its green little head out of the cold ground.  Then the first yellow flower, the leaves on the trees, a rain, a snowflake, a cloud floating across the sky.  The sound of birds returning after winter.
     We've forgotten that our God of pleasure has given us these things for our pleasure.  I think so often that they are  nuisances that just cause us work.  Think with me for a moment or two.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control.  Meditate on these things.  Our God of pleasure gives us all of these things from His very nature.  His Spirit.  His grace.  A gift.  He made us for this to enjoy Him forever!
     What do you search for to give you pleasure?  What happens when that thing is taken from you?  I have a pleasure that can never be taken from me, that never wants to leave me.  I have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control "living" in me.  Why would I look to what could destroy me, for the pleasure I was created for--in the image of God.  It's not even in a flower or sex or food, or a rainbow.  Those things can only bring out in me what is there already.  Created in God's image.  Let the living water flow!  Dance to its music!  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control.  He's alive!  He's alive and I am forgiven!  Heaven's gates are open wide!  He's alive!  My beautiful God of pleasure.  Created in His image.  Meditate on that, why don't you!  Such joy and peace all rolled up into one!
     Philippians  4:4-8:  He even tells us what to think of so we have the God of peace with us.  Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, PUT IT INTO PRACTICE!   The reward is PEACE.  God help us all.
     May the God of peace guard our hearts and minds and give us His peace that passes understanding.  The Lord is good and full of pleasure.  When I experience pleasure, I experience God!

In Love,  a work in progress.