Seize Life
Jeff Jones
“Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes, God takes pleasure in your pleasure.” Ecclesiastes 9:7, The Message Bible
Isn’t the last line of this verse amazing? “God takes pleasure in your pleasure.” Some people think it’s difficult to know what pleases God, and others are convinced that we can never please Him. However, according to this verse, God is pleased when we are pleased. Isn’t that simple to understand?
Those of us who are parents know this. We know that our hearts are filled with joy when our kids are happy. Nothing thrills our hearts more than to see our kids enjoying life. But that’s just a small glimpse of the way God feels when we are enjoying our lives. To me, that’s something to shout about:
“Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, 'Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.'" Psalm 35:27
Isn’t that an incredible thought - God takes pleasure in our prosperity? The word prosperity means to have a successful journey through life. So, having a full and satisfying life isn’t something we should run from, it is something we should run to. We should seize life for all it’s worth! In doing so, we can be assured that we are pleasing God.
Listen to this prayer for us in 3 John 2: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
If that’s not a green light to go for it, then I don’t know what is. So, what’s that dream you’ve been wanting to pursue? What’s that goal that you’ve been wanting to accomplish? It’s time to go full throttle, to run all out, and give your very best because now you know that when you’re pleased, it pleases the very ONE who made you. So go seize life today and make God happy!
Say It: “Father, knowing that You take pleasure in my pleasure excites my heart. Thank You for always have my back and for helping me to enjoy life to the full. I want to please You, and knowing that my happiness makes You happy makes all the difference in the world. Let's seize life together. in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”