Daley Ponderings

I sort of got discouraged on days 2 and 3, where I didn't find much that was edifying. But day 4 had a couple interesting things.One was a question I have about "Eden has been trampled, torched, and savaged." I have thought Eden was doing okay.  I guess maybe if the whole earth is considered Eden, then his statement could be true.

Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. -- Genesis 3:23-24

Later he speaks of desiring God, and I think this might be what Linda was talking about simple pleasures pointing you towards God.

Consider this analogy: When you're sick and your friend brings you a meal, what meets your needs -- the meal or the friend?   Both.  Without your friend, there would be no meal; but even without the meal, you would still treasure your friendship. ; Thus, your friend is both your higher pleasure and the source of your secondary pleasure (the meal).  Likewise, God is the source of all lesser goods, so that when they satisfy us, it is God himself who is satisfying us.

Perhaps you're thinking, But our eyes should be on the giver, not the gift and, thus, We ought to focus on God, not on Heaven. [... This] fails to recognize that because God is the ultimate source of joy, and all secondary joys derive from him, to love secondary joys on this earth can be -- and in Heaven always will be -- to love God, their source. [italics are the author's, bolded text is mine]

I think some would underemphasize the "can be" part of loving secondary joys, and would immerse themselves in secondary joys without really considering what should be their primary joy.  I am reminded of Mark Prater preaching a sermon on "Eating for the Glory of God", where he spoke of enjoyig God's pleasure and gifts to us as we eat.

(and I am sure he mentioned drinking Starbucks coffee as well -- something he might say I would have to grow in enjoying God -- though Jonathan proudly exclaims that he "sometimes drinks coffee&", and parents look at me in astonishment, particularly if they know us at all, but I suppose that means they only know us a little, rather than knowing that we would generally allow our children to do lots of things.  Jonathan had probably a 1/4 teaspoon the other day at our church's coffeehouse.  He winced at the first sip, proclaimed that he liked it, but didn't really drink any more after that.  He, like me, probably likes the smell more than the taste)

I am also reminded of a song, I Will Not Forget You, and the line, "Many men will drink the rain and turn to thank the clouds".