There she lay in her beautiful box. A two-foot bride doll dressed in a white chiffon, pearl-studded wedding gown with matching veil. Her short-cropped, curly brown hair fell softly around her delicate face; her pink, plump skin felt amazingly soft; and her movable eyelids lined with thick black lashes opened and closed with her changing positions. The bride had perfectly shaped lips and crystal-blue eyes that appeared strangely real. She was truly the most beautiful doll I had ever received in my six-year-old life.
My uncle knew my infatuation with being a bride one day, so he gave me this lovely gift for my birthday. However, there was one problem. My mother wouldn’t let me play with her. “You’ll have to wait until you are older,” she stated. “She was very expensive. We’ll just keep her in the box until you’re big enough to take care of her.”
So, the doll stayed in her box, safely stowed away in a dresser drawer. Occasionally I’d open the drawer to stroke her lovely hair or straighten up her lacy gown, but never did I take her out and actually play with her. Now that I am an adult, I don’t even know what became of her.
Did you know that God wants us to enjoy our relationship with Him? Our faith is not something to keep in a box for safe keeping. Or something to be experienced on Sundays and Holy Days. It is meant to be enjoyed! Everyday!
Our relationship with Jesus is certainly a holy one, but it is also meant to be a joyful one.
David wrote, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart”
(Psalm 37:4). If you’re like me, I get stuck on the second part of that verse, “the desires of your heart.” But let’s think about the first part, “delight yourself in the LORD.”
What does it mean to delight in someone? It means to love, adore, and enjoy being around that person. Webster’s Dictionary says “delight” means to “take pleasure in” or “to give keen enjoyment” or to “give joy or satisfaction to.” To enjoy God is to enjoy being in His presence.
Timothy wrote “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17 NIV emphasis added).
C.S. Lewis once said that most Christians lack “merriment.” I like that word, “merriment.” Just moving the words across my lips is fun. And I think Lewis is right. We lack merriment and we don’t expect it. Many Christians look like they’ve been weaned on a dill pickle. My goodness, if there is anyone who should exude merriment, it is a person who knows Jesus as Savior and Lord. We, above all people, have something to be merry about!
The first statement in the Westminster Confession, a church document written back in 1646, states that man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Enjoy Him! Just as He takes delight in you, He longs for you to take delight in Him.
God doesn’t want us to simply have a religion in our lives—a box with His name stamped on it. He wants us to have a relationship with Him—a life with His fingerprints all over it!
So here’s a question for us to ponder today: Are we enjoying God? Do we long to spend time with Him? Smile when we think of Him? Have fun talking to Him? Take pleasure in knowing Him? Do we enjoy being in His presence?
Thinking back on the lovely gift that was never enjoyed, I’m reminded of the gifts that God has given to each one of us. If we keep those gifts tucked away in a hidden place until we feel like we’re old enough to take proper care of them, or mature enough to master them, we’ll miss many years of the enjoyment He intended all along. Yes, the gifts may get tattered and torn in the process, but enjoying them will bring the Giver great pleasure. After all, our enjoyment is His great delight. That’s what gifts are for.
Dear Father, sometimes I get way too stuffy in my faith. Jesus went to parties. David danced with joy. Mary sang her heart out. Today, I simply want to enjoy Your presence and delight in Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
What is one way you have enjoyed God lately? Here’s a picture of one of mine. Watching the sun rise on the coast while drinking a cup of coffee.
Do you long for something more in your relationship with God? The good news is that “something more” does not mean “doing more.” God longs to show you glory moments when He makes His presence known in your life. In my book, A Sudden Glory: God’s Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, I show you how to experience God’s presence in the middle of your busy, messy day. It’s the perfect book for a summer read!
© 2022 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Comments 33
I enjoy you sister in Christ Jesus! Keep letting God use you🥰
I find glory in God during sunsets.
Sharon, I love your writing and these emails bring joy to my soul. I also want to thank you for the study and book “The Power of a Woman’s Words”. I had been trying, not very successfully, to navigate the transition from parenting a college student to parenting an adult. Your book has helped me immensely and my relationship with my boy already has improved!! I appreciate you!!!
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That is awesome!
We have needed rain here on the farm for crops and grass for the cows. I did know God would bring rain. But not when I thought we needed it.
Well yep he gave us rain just in time. I rain out and danced in the awesome rain and praised God.
Why do I question.
Rebecca
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I can picture that! What a fun dance!
This is so wonderful. In the presence of God wow there is fullness of joy.
I love going for walks with the Lord. As we walk and talk, He fills my heart with such joy! I can’t help but sing his praise 😊❤️
I found glory in God when I saw my 1st grand baby for 1st time!
I feel like the comment of being weaned on a dill pickle is so accurate. I have lost my joy, merriment in my faith and relationship with God. Being so consumed by worry/fear/anxiety from previous years added to 2.5 years of inconsistency and fear mongers during COVID I feel like I have lost the ability to hope, enjoy life and even know where to start getting that back. I used to be a Mom who would do fun and creative things now it seems like it’s a chore to even do the smallest thing. Prayers appreciated. Thank you for sharing this today.
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Sweet sister, I’m praying for you right now!
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As I prayed this came to mind. Start a list and write down one thing you are thankful for each day.
Chelsie, I feel the same way. I feel like all I am doing is surviving, not thriving, in my life and in my faith. I feel so scared and anxious about everything all the time. Sharon’s suggestion to start a gratitude list is a good one for me.
I really enjoyed being with My Lord and Savior while on a cruise my daughters took me on to celebrate my birthday. The vastness of the Caribbean, the beauty of the sun rises and sets, the tranquility of it all allowed me to celebrate Him all the time!
Teach me
This was right on time for me today. Thank you for allowing God to use you in this way. Your devotions always come at just the right time. I also loved the part about being weaned on a dill pickle. I type for a living and sometimes catch myself frowning at the screen. I try and make a conscious effort to smile during the day – never know who might need one! Be blessed.
Your thoughts and words weave God’s truths so beautifully. I pray for God’s fingerprints to be all over my life. Such powerful encouragement!
I enjoy God’s creation in nature in particular, drinking my morning coffee outdoors and listening to the birds and everything else around me.
I enjoy the sound of falling rain!
I picture our Lord pouring down his love and blessings upon me. It makes me smile knowing how much he loves me & my family.
Blessings
Carmen
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Love that!
Thank you, Sharon. I go with a smile on my face to clean my bathrooms while listening to God’s Word, thanking Him for giving me bathrooms to keep clean.
Author
I love that!
Your book, A Sudden Glory, has been one of my all time favs of yours! I highly recommend it if you want to encounter Jesus in precious, intimate ways in your life. I’ve read it a few times over the years and used it as a small group resource too. I think I’ll pull it out again this summer!
Blessings to all of you,
Sharon
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Thank you sooooo much!
I am not enjoying the lord as I should. I am struggling to walk because of joint pain, I can’t work it makes life difficult, and sometimes I am really sad.
Praying for you Juselda!
Your devotionals are very timely. Thank-you for being sensitive to the Holy
Spirit. Blessings!🙏
Good morning! I used to spend hours with the Lord and lately I’m constantly running. As silly as it sounds, I miss Him and Im struggling to find my way back. I long to be in His presence yet I allow so many things to distract me lately. I could use prayer! Looking forward to seeing you at Sandy Cove! ❤️
We are watching The Chosen (produced by Dallas Jenkins and available on the Angel app for free) as a family right now. It is so refreshing to see Jesus enjoying life at the wedding by dancing, joking around with his disciples and loving on others. I know that we read about those accounts in the Bible but it is helpful to see it to help us to embrace what he means by enjoying life.
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It is fun to see!
Sitting outside in the garden hearing and seeing the birds, feeling the sun and breeze on my skin make me feel closer to God and bring a smile to my face.
I enjoy God by taking in his beauty through nature. Especially, looking out at the horizon where earth meets sky. So, beautiful.
I find God’s joy in my 3 year old’s playful and fun nature, and joy in what seems like the littlest things. We are created in God’s image, and I can imagine the playful, fun, amazing God that is reflected in my daughter. God knows I soooo need these moments and reminders of Him, in the midst of marriage turmoil, a rageful husband, a stressful job, a home that was just flooded due to plumbing… oh how gentle and loving God is to remind us He is here with us in the fire.