This weeks “40 days of purpose” focus is about the quest for pleasure, and specifically living our lives for Gods pleasure, and about us finding our greatest pleasure in Gods presence, expressed in a lifestyle of worship.
Eric Liddell, English Olympic Athlete and subject of the well-known movie “Chariots of Fire,” said: “When I run, I feel Gods pleasure.”
Not everyone loves running, but I do. In fact, I had a personal “pursuit of pleasure” this morning as I woke up in a beach hotel in Singapore (here for a conference). Shortly after waking up I received an unexpected phone call from my wife Ali in London. Pleasure. Then I decided to go for a run on the beach. Pleasure. I felt so alive and close to God as I enjoyed the run on beautiful white sand. My pleasure, and I really felt Gods pleasure in that moment too. Then it happened, like it often does in life – I took a detour and ended up getting a bit lost. Pleasure began to fade. I ended up ion the opposite end of the Island, and pleasure seemed (and was) miles away! Well over an hour later I was back at the hotel. No pleasure, just pain. Tired. Thirsty. Sore. I started out filled with pleasure, but somewhere along the way I took a detour and ended up in pain…
Are you on a path that is filled with Gods pleasure, or have you taken a detour too?
In Psalm 16v11 David says: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Further he encourages us to “worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!” (1 Chronicles 16:29)
As you read this week’s chapters:
- þ Allow God to show you the path of life, and commit yourself to stay on it…
- þ Tell God that you want to be a worshipper whose life brings Him pleasure…
- þ Meditate on the scripture references expecting to get a glimpse of understanding of what David meant by “the beauty of holiness”…
On a 40 Day purpose quest with you…
Wolfi's View from London 