| “I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. He has taken me to the banquet hall and his banner over me is love.” |
| —Song of Songs 2:3-4 |
You can still read the lines, “The pleasure of your company is requested...” on formal wedding invitations that you may receive today. These words most often get overlooked when we keep reading to learn the details that follow.
Chances are that you enjoy the company of special people: those with whom you feel comfortable, those you know well, or those you would like to get to know better. As Christians, we learn to enjoy the pleasure of our Lord’s company through Bible study and prayer, most often in the privacy of our quiet time alone.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, which many believe summarizes the doctrine of the Bible quite well, begins with the question:
“What is the chief end of man?”
And, the answer written there says simply:
“The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”
Most often, when we consider these words, we think about our lives “glorifying” God. I wonder how often do we think about “enjoying” Him?
David, the man after God’s heart, says in Psalm 16:11:
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Another psalmist—perhaps one of the Sons of Korah—in Psalm 43:4 refers to God as his “joy and delight.”
And, God requires nothing of us, in order to meet with us, other than our firm desire and our time. As the Lord Jesus stated in the passage found in Matthew 11:28:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
He knows the pleasure and rest we find coming into His presence. We do not have to wonder if this presence comes only at certain times. Yes, sometimes we can sense His nearness more than at other times. But, He has promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.
In fact, the very last words Jesus spoke before He ascended into Heaven, recorded in Matthew 28:20, remind us:
“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
An old hymn, 1 written in the 18th century, captures the concept of joy in His presence:
O thou, in whose presence, my soul takes delight,
On whom in affliction I call,
My comfort by day and my song in the night,
My hope, my salvation, my all!
We can get started receiving this close fellowship with the Savior by beginning our prayer time as follows:
Oh, Lord, You who have invited us to know You, we request the pleasure of Your company during this time of prayer. As we draw near to You, please reveal Yourself through Your written Word.
Thank You for Your promise to be with us always, through our Lord Jesus and by the in-dwelling presence of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
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| 1 Swain, Joseph. Hymn: “O Thou in Whose Presence,” Public Domain. |
