A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"Please Who?"

In a society consumed with self-pleasure and self-satisfaction who would have the audacity to suggest that we live our lives to please someone other than self? Least we think that the church is immune, we have assimilated some of this thinking into our own. How often are we Christians ask if we feel good or find pleasure in our ministry, to the point of suggesting that self-satisfaction is the end, or at least the affirmation, of ministry. And how desperately we want the "blessed's" of the Beatitudes to simply mean "happy."

God's Word cuts deeply into such thinking. "Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God." (1 Thessalonians 4:1) Live to please who? God! Some quickly retort, "but, living to please God brings personal pleasure." Though this may be ultimately true, it doesn't always start out this way and it is a very self-centered way of thinking; live to please God only because it pleases self. The heart of the truly transformed in Christ craves to know how to please God. We do not live to please God in order to be saved. We live to please God because we are saved! As the Psalmist so wonderfully stated it, "may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto You, Oh Lord." (Psalm 19:14) The question is, "is my life pleasing to God," not "am I having a great time and feeling good."

Paul was writing to a model church in Thessalonica (note 3:6), yet here, nearing the end of this first letter to them, he "urges" them "in the Lord" to live in order to please God "more and more." Paul was fanning the flames in the hearts of these young believers, so that their heart's sole desire would be to please God. Their ears needed to be attuned to God's voice and their hearts primed to say "yes" to His call, whatever that may be, pleasurable or not. Paul wanted to be sure that they understood that the way of the cross, the way of holiness, was not always easy. At times we live to please God for the joy that is set before us, rather than for instant self-satisfaction or pleasure. Paul's concern was so great that after he urges them to live in order to please God more and more, he repeats the instructions on how to do so.

Ultimately there is no thrill, no joy, no satisfaction, no pleasure that can compare to living our lives to please God. But, we must remember that all of this is the byproduct of living holy in the power of God's indwelling Spirit. It is not that which we seek, but a gift of God's grace. It is one way God says to us, "well done good and faithful servant." First and finally, beloved, we must live our lives in order to please God! Love demands no less than our full effort in doing so.

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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