The Pleasures of Life

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 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 16:5-11 ESV).

It sounds strange to talk about the “pleasures of life.” However, all of us would rather experience pleasure than pain. I certainly do. Recently I went to the airport to pick Mary up after having been on a short trip with her sister to New Mexico. It was wonderful to hear her talk about the things she saw and did while on this little mini-trip. They rode the train from Santa Fe to Albuquerque. It is called the New Mexico Rail Runner. Evidently it was quite the adventure. I have never ridden a train; and, I must admit I was little envious she had this experience without me. Sounds silly, but I thought about the fun and “pleasure” of the new experience and couldn’t help but compare it to the mundane experiences I had staying at home. Don’t you feel that way at times? Doesn’t a bit of discontent get stirred deep in your soul as you hear of the adventures others experience? It often seems that there is always the waiting routine of life that robs us of even a small adventure. How do we avoid such letdowns in life? In today’s reading, David reminds us the secret to living a life of pleasure isn’t dependent on where our feet tread but in WHOM our feet follow. A life of joy isn’t found in chasing adventure but in chasing our Savior. And, according to Psalm 16:11, when we choose to keep company with Jesus, prayerfully seeking Him first and obeying His directions we find true contentment right where we are. So, as you picture the ordinary life you wake to each day, the demands and the delights, the giggles and the grumbles remember that your journey is going to end in the most spectacular fashion. Your real home lies beyond the veil of death in the eternal city of God. With all of the things that you are called upon to do in this life, they all have purpose in the wisdom and will of our Father. Enjoy the trek!