Solomon tells us that “a happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing” (Proverbs 17:22, AMP ). God undoubtedly has a sense of humor; we need only look at some of the animals He created (it’s hard not to smile at the sight of a hippo, a monkey, or a puppy). Or think of some of the married couples you know: don’t you think God was smiling at the wedding as He looked ahead to the interaction of the wildly different personalities that will be living together?
In reading The Divine Hours, this caught my attention:
Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple! (Ps 65:4)
The “goodness” of God’s house (some translations say beauty of His house) will satisfy me; and this goodness or beauty is equated with the holiness of His temple. I don’t know about you, but this is hard for me to grasp.
When I read that God will satisfy the poor with bread, I understand it. In fact, the word used for satisfied is the same Hebrew word translated filled in Exodus 16 when God tells the Israelites they will be “filled with bread” in the morning. The word means “to be filled, sated, surfeited” — when was the last time you heard someone use that word? — or “to have in abundance.”
In my head I know that God is supposed to be everything to me, as in the Dennis Jernigan song that says “You are my strength when I am weak / You are the treasure that I seek / You are my all in all.” But believing it in my heart, experiencing it as a reality — that’s a different story. For myself, and I suspect many others, the song that better describes day-to-day experience is the catchy “Fabulous” from High School Musical 2 (can you tell we watch the Disney Channel a lot at my house?):
I want fabulous
That is my simple request
All things fabulous
Bigger and better and best
I need something inspiring
To help me get along
I need a little fabulous
Is that so wrong?
As I look at these lyrics, I think the song writers were on to something: we do indeed need something inspiring, and there’s nothing wrong with that need. God created each of us with desire, and desire by definition must be filled or satisfied. The question becomes, then, what fills me, what brings satisfaction? Or perhaps this is the better question: “How do I find satisfaction in and with God?” I have some ideas that I will share in the next few days. In the meantime, what about you? How do you find satisfaction with God?
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Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Dan- you’re back!! I have several of The Divine Hours on my wish list at Paperbackswap- I’m really looking forward to reading them! I look forward to reading your thoughts on this too.
Sandy, thanks for taking the time to comment! Yes, I believe I’m back—I’ll feel better about making that declaration in a week, when I actually have more than one new post. :)
Hey Dan! I am so excited to see you writing again. I have missed Charis — your words always encourage me AND it always made me feel connected to you even when we had not had an opportunity to see each other in person. I love you baby brother! Jen