Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:4 – “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving…” (NRSVUE)
We all have pictures in our minds of what ungodly behavior looks like. Take a moment to think of people who are ungodly? You might have thought of people who were greedy or violent, but I bet many of you pictured people who were partying, carousing, or enjoying the pleasant company of others with no heed for anything outside their own pleasure. You have probably heard that if you are happy with what is around you, you will not reach out to God and instead wallow in things that do not ultimately lead to joy.
There is a very long religious tradition that rejects the pleasures of the world, which is usually called “asceticism.” It is especially prevalent in religions which originated in India, like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism (known for being so strict that people must strain water to refrain from accidentally killed microscopic creatures). People are encouraged to meditate to move beyond the distractions of the world to liberate themselves to higher realities. But we have ascetic streaks in Christianity as well, from the monks and nuns in their monasteries and convents to the puritanical who look down their noses at any sort of frivolity. These are the kind of people that banned Christmas because it was too much fun. (https://www.history.com/news/when-massachusetts-banned-christmas)
But while it is important not to be so overwhelmed with selfish actions as to ignore God, it is also true that being overly strict can likewise rob us of the divine. There were many prophets who fasted and generally made themselves miserable for the sake of God. But not Jesus. His ministry was based around sharing good food and good fellowship with each other, such that his enemies called him a glutton.
All these calls to turn one’s back on the world are contrary to God’s will in creating the world in the first place. Genesis says, “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” And the First Letter to Timothy cautions us against that impulse to deny life to appear holy. “They forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.” The world is here for us to enjoy, to cherish, and to protect. For both the selfish and the ascetic tend to abuse the world either by exploiting its resources or leaving it to destruction as not ultimately important.
Note that Timothy is taught that “nothing is to be rejected provided it is received with thanksgiving.” If you approach the world such that it exists only for your pleasure, you are far from God. If you approach the world as something vile and sinful, you are far from God. But if you appreciate all the beauty around you, recognize God’s hand in creating it for you, and say a humble thanks, then you are close to God.
Enjoy the presence of God in your friends and family. Find awe in the majesty of mountains and the quiet murmur of rivers. Relish in moderation good food and drink. Do all in thanksgiving, for we are created to find joy in the things around us so we might love God more. Take time today to say thanks for something wonderful and I bet you will feel closer to God.
Prayer: God, help me find you in all the splendor around me and help it bring me closer to you and to others. Amen.
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