Words of Wisdom - No 7

Gary Thomas writes:

God isn’t just our Redeemer ... he is also our Creator. He made us, and he made this world. So when we participate in this world as he made it, we celebrate him every bit as much as we honor him when we do things that reflect his redeeming work. In fact, we insult him when we deny the glory of his creativity. When we speak of God only as Savior, we use him as a rescuer—but he is much more than that! He invites us to truly enjoy him and all that he has made, no longer using God merely to enjoy the world (as he sets us free from addictions, helps us to reclaim our finances, restores our health), but also using the world to enjoy God.

This is a call to embrace the world in a way that may seem radical to many Christians. How can it honor God to ask him to solve our problems, fix our families, and remove the stain of sin while ignoring what he delights to create, color, and fashion? To do so is as foolish as someone learning to play the guitar merely to develop stronger and more nimble fingers, or taking up playing the flute for the sole purpose of improving one’s ability to breathe. It misses the beauty and poetry of the entire exercise, reducing this world to a utilitarian throwaway bereft of the mystery and wonder of an infinitely creative and generous God.

FROM: Gary Thomas, Pure Pleasure (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2009), pp 54-55.