“Enjoy the Lord…”

What a beautiful thought expressed by David in Psalm 37!  It is one, perhaps, that we may not have previously given much thought to but once experienced, becomes our highest aim.

In fact, in response to the question, “What is the chief end of man?,” we read, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism)

A 1600’s preacher by the name of Thomas Watson expounded upon that thought by saying, “The enjoyment of God’s sweet presence here is the most contented life: He is a hive of sweetness, a fountain of delight.  The higher the lark flies the sweeter it sings and the higher we fly by the wings of faith, the more we enjoy God.  He that enjoys much of God in this life carries heaven about him.  Oh let this be the thing we are chiefly ambitious of, the enjoyment of God in His ordinances! What are all our worldly enjoyments without the enjoyment of God!”

In fact, the psalmist stated, “…with You, I desire nothing on earth.” (Psalm 73:25 NASB)

Such enjoyment of God is not reserved for just a few; we, too, are invited into the very experience of enjoying Him for ourselves: “Taste and see that the Lord is good…” (Psalm 34:8)

As we enjoy Him and are satisfied in Him, we can’t help but shine for Him.

I am reminded of the time my gluten-free, never-tasted-a-real-McDonald’s-hamburger child bit into a juicy (gluten free) burger and exclaimed, “Wow!  This tastes just like McDonald’s!”  When asked how she could possibly know, never having eaten one, she replied, “I’ve seen the commercials!”  Talk about good marketing!  The look of pure enjoyment on the faces of the actors when they bite into their food created a picture in my daughter’s mind as to how delicious it must actually taste, with never once even having tasted it for herself.

Is that not unlike what can happen when the world sees a Christ-follower enjoying the Lord?  It may, in fact, be the most powerful witness we have. 

Of course, we don’t enjoy Him simply to win over those who have yet to meet Him (enjoyment is not something that can be faked or forced!), but rather because He is pure loveliness, pure delight, and we can’t help but enjoy Him!  

David knew it when he said, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

“To behold” means to see by experience, and the “beauty” spoken of here means kindness, pleasantness, and delightfulness.  

Once we have beheld Him – how could we not enjoy Him?  “Let it be our great care to enjoy God’s sweet presence.”  May that be so for us!