Dios nos provee de todo en abundancia para que lo disfrutemos.
1 TIMOTEO 6:17 (PAR)
Dios dijo: «¡Continúen con sus vidas!». Y a nosotros nos dice: «¡Ya es hora de que sigan con su vida! Hagan las cosas para las que concebí a los seres humanos. Tengan relaciones sexuales con su pareja. Tengan bebés. Críen una familia. Siembren una cosecha y coman. ¡Compórtense como humanos! ¡Para eso los creé!».
Es posible que sientas que el único momento en que agradas a Dios es cuando desarrollas una actividad «espiritual», como leer la Biblia, asistir a la iglesia, orar o testificar. Puedes pensar que a Dios no le interesan otros aspectos de tu vida. En realidad, Dios disfruta observando cada detalle de tu vida: ya sea que te encuentres trabajando, jugando, descansando o comiendo. No pierde de vista ninguno de tus movimientos. La Biblia nos dice que el Señor «dirige los pasos del hombre devoto, que él se complace con todos los detalles de su vida».
Cualquier actividad humana, excepto pecar, puede realizarse para agradar a Dios si la hacemos con una actitud de alabanza. Podemos lavar platos, reparar motores, vender productos, diseñar programas de computación, sembrar la tierra o criar una familia para la gloria de Dios.
Como un padre orgulloso de sus hijos, Dios disfruta de manera especial viéndonos usar los talentos y habilidades que nos dio. Nos ha dado, intencionalmente para su regocijo, diferentes dones a cada uno. A algunas personas las ha creado para destacarse en lo atlético, a otras para ser más analíticas. Podemos tener capacidad para la mecánica, las matemáticas o la música, o para cualquiera de tantas otras habilidades. Al llevar a cabo estas actividades podemos hacer que se dibuje una sonrisa en el rostro de Dios. La Escritura declara que «él ha formado a cada persona y ahora observa todo lo que hacemos».
No podemos glorificar ni agradar a Dios cuando escondemos nuestras aptitudes o intentamos ser distintos de lo que somos. Solo puedes agradar a Dios si eres tú mismo. Cada vez que rechazas una parte de tu persona, desprecias la sabiduría y soberanía de Dios al crearte. Dios dice que no tenemos derecho a discutir con nuestro Creador: «¿Discute la vasija con su hacedor? ¿Disputa la arcilla con quien le da forma?».
En la película Carros de fuego, el corredor olímpico Eric Liddell dice: «Creo que Dios me creó con un propósito, pero también me hizo veloz, y cuando corro, siento el placer de Dios». Más adelante agrega: «Si dejara de correr, lo estaría despreciando». Las aptitudes no espirituales no existen, solo existe el uso indebido de ellas. Comienza a usar las tuyas para complacer a Dios.
Reflexión:
Dios se fija en la actitud de tu corazón: ¿Cuál es tu deseo más íntimo? ¿Agradar a Dios?
DAY 9 /fourth part • What Makes God Smile?
God . . . generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.
1 TIMOTHY 6:17 (TEV)
You may feel that the only time God is pleased with you is when you’re doing “spiritual” activities — like reading the Bible, attending church, praying, or sharing your faith. And you may think God is unconcerned about the other parts of your life. Actually, God enjoys watching every detail of your life, whether you are working, playing, resting, or eating. He doesn’t miss a single move you make. The Bible tells us, “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Every human activity, except sin, can be done for God’s pleasure if you do it with an attitude of praise. You can wash dishes, repair a machine, sell a product, write a computer program, grow a crop, and raise a family for the glory of God.
Like a proud parent, God especially enjoys watching you use the talents and abilities he has given you. God intentionally gifted us differently for his enjoyment. He has made some to be athletic and some to be analytical. You may be gifted at mechanics or mathematics or music or a thousand other skills. All these abilities can bring a smile to God’s face. The Bible says, “He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do.”
You don’t bring glory or pleasure to God by hiding your abilities or by trying to be someone else. You only bring him enjoyment by being you. Anytime you reject any part of yourself, you are rejecting God’s wisdom and sovereignty in creating you. God says, “You have no right to argue with your Creator. You are merely a clay pot shaped by a potter. The clay doesn’t ask, ‘Why did you make me this way?’ ”
In the film Chariots of Fire, Olympic runner Eric Liddell says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” Later he says, “To give up running would be to hold him in contempt.” There are no unspiritual abilities, just misused ones. Start using yours for God’s pleasure.
God also gains pleasure in watching you enjoy his creation. He gave you eyes to enjoy beauty, ears to enjoy sounds, your nose and taste buds to enjoy smells and tastes, and the nerves under your skin to enjoy touch. Every act of enjoyment becomes an act of worship when you thank God for it. In fact, the Bible says, “God . . . generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.”
God even enjoys watching you sleep! When my children were small, I remember the deep satisfaction of watching them sleep. Sometimes the day had been filled with problems and disobedience, but asleep they looked contented, secure, and peaceful, and I was reminded of how much I love them.
My children didn’t have to do anything for me to enjoy them. I was happy to just watch them breathing, because I loved them so much. As their little chests would rise and fall, I’d smile, and sometimes tears of joy filled my eyes. When you are sleeping, God gazes at you with love, because you were his idea. He loves you as if you were the only person on earth.
Reflection:
What God looks at is the attitude of your heart: Is pleasing him your deepest desire?
