The Sweetness of God

It saddens me to hear people talk about Christianity as if it were a punishment.  Somewhere along the way people started thinking that to be a follower of Christ meant that there was no joy in life.  The idea lingers that if something fun, God hates it and will condemn you to hell for it.  Yes it is difficult to come face to face with the reality of my sin, but the grace I find in the arms of Jesus makes the pain worth it.  And let's not forget that God is the creator of pleasure and goodness!  He meant for us to have abundant life in which we enjoy the good things in life!  John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  God created pleasurable things for us to enjoy.  The problem comes in when, in our sinful nature, we distort what God meant for good and turn it into something destructive.

Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."  There is a sweetness in a relationship with God that, once tasted, makes everything else taste bitter.  I wish I could say that my whole walk with Christ has been characterized by this sweetness.  There have been moments where I didn't feel God's presence and questioned his faithfulness.  But through difficulties and trials, the Lord has brought me through to a point where I can lean on Him and know that he will never forsake me.  I know that I was created for more than plodding along with a mediocre faith till the last days of my life.  "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created." (James 1:17-18).

I long to know more of who God is and I am so thankful that he has chosen to reveal himself to us not only through his glorious creation but also through his word and through prayer.  Every day when I read my Bible and have my quiet time I am amazed that the book I hold in my hands is truly the word of God.  How incredible is that?   The more I soak in scripture the more I can't live without it.  The more time I spend in communion with the Living God, the more I don't want to go a second without praying to him.  And by praying I don't just mean bringing my list of requests before God but really listening for him to speak to me.  Learning to listen for God is a difficult process, but when I truly quiet my heart, I can clearly hear Him speaking to me.  It's been incredible to see how being in a relationship with God has completely transformed my life.

God is not a crutch as some think he is.  He is not a figment of my imagination that I made up to feel warm and fuzzy inside.  God is.  He created the world and everything in it and is active within his creation.  He calls his people to salvation and saves those who come to Him in humble submission and love.  He loves his children and wants to bless us abundantly and offers a life sweeter than you can imagine.  Taste and see that the Lord is good!