June 17, 2015

THE PLEASURE IS ALL MINE by Bryan Norford




What does it feel like to experience God’s pleasure? There are times, as Ramona suggests, when writing flows easily. Perhaps that is feeling His pleasure. But when writing is hard, is that because He is displeased? More likely, difficult writing is probably fielding the displeasure of the evil one. Meaningful dialog comes from the pain of writing as well as its pleasure.



To be honest, I am low on the emotional scale, so feelings rarely come into the categories that drive my writing. But if passion is included in the feelings cluster, perhaps that provides Him pleasure as it drives my need to write. For me, the passion I feel is born of the correspondence of my experience with the truth: the “yes, that’s so right” moment.



Our hearts can be deceitfully wicked, and our feelings often unreliable. The Mormon “burning bosom” that’s supposed to confirm truth can be misleading. Never-the-less, as we listen to Him we mimic the experience of the two on the road to Emmaus: "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"



It’s that experience that excites me as I read Scripture. Recently, I read—it seemed for the first time—Isaiah 59:21: "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the Lord. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the Lord.



In context, “them” are those of Israel who have repented of their sin. That includes us Gentiles, for all who belong to Christ are Abraham’s seed, Galatians 3:29. For one whose primary burden is the legacy I leave for my ever extending family, this doubles my desire and drive to write the truth.



The whole of life—living daily with Him—should evoke the pleasure of His company. But especially writing that expresses or confirms the way Scripture predicts both personal and public life drives my passion. This desire to honour Him, I must believe, brings Him pleasure. My response, as the saying goes: “The pleasure is all mine.”



4 comments:

  1. Thank you once again for your thoughtful post.

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  2. "Our feelings often unreliable" made me pause for a moment and think about that. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. You bring out an important nuance, Bryan. It's God's pleasure we're seeking. Not our own. I can be very pleased in my child who is going through a terribly difficult situation, in how she handles it, how she seeks to do right. Paul speaks continuously of the persecution of the saints, and how he boasts in their faith. My reaction to my struggle may be what gives God pleasure.

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  4. Bryan--I do believe that our desire to honour Him does bring Him pleasure. It really has nothing to do with us--it's ALL about Him. Good to be reminded of where our focus should always lie.

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