When we think of pleasures, usually we think of what makes us feel good or of things we enjoy doing. Nothing wrong with that. But do we ever stop to think about what God thinks about what we do or how He feels about the things we enjoy? Hopefully our desires for pleasure do not ignore the very One Who designed us to enjoy all of His creation. Take a look around. All that exists is available for us to enjoy. Think about it. The beach, the mountains, the sky (and all that is in the sky), the highways and byways, the familiar, even the unfamiliar, are waiting for us to explore and adore. I’ve even found enjoyment in recent labors, like digging drainage ditches. Working in the soil, uncovering innumerable sandstones and bugs and crawling things, brought unexpected pleasure and satisfaction, though the task was laborious. What was hidden in the ground from me was no mystery at all to God. And it occurred to me that the feelings I realized from my labors brought joy to God also. He was pleased that there was no complaining about the cuts and scratches on my hands and fingers, or about the backache from swinging the pick and using the shovel. It brought Him pleasure just watching me accomplish the chore I had chosen, without muttering or complaining about the hot, sweaty conditions and the aforementioned aches and pains. Plus I enjoyed the benefits of exercise and hard work, which resulted in a bit of weight loss. Wow! I achieved pleasure by working hard and in so doing, I think God had pleasure in my accomplishments.
More observations, next post.