I’ve been pretty sporadic on posting to Facebook and my YouTube channel and this blog since I got covid-19. I mentioned in my first covid video that I was seeking to learn and grow in knowing God through the experience. As I have been reflecting upon that, this proverb hit me hard today,
Wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding”
Proverbs 10:23
In the context of redemptive history, the proverb is saying that lasting pleasure comes through seeking, knowing, loving, and following God’s wisdom. I have learned that humans are designed to thrive as they experience progressive tension and resistance and then grow and heal to be stronger (physically, mentally, spiritually). Covid-19 is part of that. The mental, physical, spiritual application of ourselves according to God’s design leads not only to wisdom but to pleasure. Today, I had an awesome day. I read a Puritan book in order to learn from someone who lived and experienced the world miles and centuries away from me, worked out at the gym, and prayed for people I know. In all of those things, I am trusting God to accomplish his purposes through his ordinary means.
In contrast to this great day, a sure path to derail my pleasure would have been to mainly watch cable news (alarming me about covid or politics all the time), eat and drink way more calories than I burn, and live entirely according to humanist, secular assumptions focusing supremely on my pleasure.
The photo below is an exercise I like called renegade rows. They are good for me. Look them up and add them to your routine regularly. They bring me pleasure.
Don’t waste 2020. You can have pleasure that doesn’t reside in the circumstances of your life. Is God taking away your control and hopes in order to drive you to discover a better way of life? I don’t know. But wisdom involves learning. My two biggest years for growth in my life were 1996 and 2015, but wisdom for me was in figuring out how those two years fit together, and that led to pleasure. Ask me more if you want to know. Trinity Presbyterian Church of Norman preaches the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, first and foremost, and we believe that the whole counsel of God in his scripture has relevance for and is sufficient to apply to every area of life and lead the followers of Christ to great pleasure in him, not just on the Lord’s day, but pleasure is available for the wise man and woman of God in every area of life.
Our sermon this Sunday will explore Qoheleth’s search for pleasure and satisfaction (Ecclesiastes 6). You’re invited to attend at 428 W. Lindsey (We practice best practices for Covid safety) or online at the youtube channel.
