Is it possible to enjoy God? We have heard of worshiping God, fearing God, honoring God, and obeying God, but can we enjoy Him? According to the men in the picture to the left, worship and enjoyment of God are two sides of the same coin.

The men in this picture were called the Westminster Assembly. The assembly was made up of some of the most godly and intelligent pastors, theologians, and professors that the world has ever known (Thomas Goodwin, William Bridge, Jeremiah Burroughs, etc). They were given the task of deciding what basic doctrines all English Christians should be taught. It took them six years but they finally concluded their deliberations and summarized them in several documents one of which was called the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a series of 107 questions and answers. It was meant to be a teaching tool for basic Christian doctrine. The first question in the catechism is:

Q: What is the chief end of man?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God,and to enjoy him forever.

Pastor John Piper modified this statement in the first chapter of his book Desiring God. He states:

“Evidently the old theologians didn’t think they were talking about two things. They said ‘chief end,’ not ‘chief ends.’ Glorifying God and enjoying him was one end in their minds, not two. How can that be? That’s what this book is about.

Not that I care too much about the intention of seventeenth century theologians. But I care tremendously about the intention of God in Scripture. What does God have to say about the chief end of man? How does God teach us to give him glory? Does he command us to enjoy him? If so, how does this quest for joy in God relate to everything else? Yes, everything! ‘Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.’

The overriding concern of this book is that in all of life God be glorified the way he himself has appointed. To that end this book aims to persuade you that: The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying him forever.”

So enjoying God is not just possible it is commanded. If this is true, how is God to be enjoyed?

If we are commanded to enjoy God, how exactly is He to be enjoyed? One of the simplest ways to accomplish this is to understand God as the source of all good things (James 1:17). Think about something that brings you delight. It could be a spouse, a child, a place, even a certain type of food and then put that thing into context. For example, if I find fillet mignon to be this satisfying then God must be even more satisfying because He created fillet mignon. Then follow that with a prayer of thanksgiving to God for your fillet mignon and a request to Him to help you see Him as infinitely more satisfying. What you are doing is ultimately taking that satisfaction back to the source. Consider Jonathan Edwards view on the matter:

“The enjoyment of [God] is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean.”

Another way to enjoy God is to rely on Him to be your provider. If you are anxious, rely on Him to bring you peace. If you are struggling financially, rely on Him to meet your needs. In depending on Him, we begin to see His far superior ability to provide for us and we get to enjoy the blessing of being thankful. God enjoyed is God glorified.”

We might not think of God in terms like delicious, rapturous, savory, enchanting, delectable, alluring, luscious, mesmerizing, enticing, tantalizing, captivating, or enthralling, but our spiritual forefathers most certainly did. They unashamedly applied such adjectives to God that we now only apply to food or to our significant others. How decidedly low we have allowed our enjoyment of God to become. I hope that I can recapture this enjoyment and experience
what the scriptures mean when they say:

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 116:11

Originally posted at www.claphamcommunity.com