Christian Hedonism..... Really?
If joy equals satisfaction and true satisfaction is found only in Christ, then we must find our deepest satisfaction in Christ alone and joy is the natural byproduct. John Piper writes a pretty interesting book about joy.... the Christian life.... the chief end of man...... The subtitle of the book is 'confessions of a Christian hedonist'. Hedonism = pursuit of pleasure.... true pleasure is found in Christ. Christians unapologetically drink deeply in Christ in pursuit of true, lasting, passionate pleasure. Christians are the ultimate hedonists in that we know that pleasure is Christ. We arrange the entirety of our lives our finding our pleasure.... our fullness.... our definition in Him! Our pursuit is to worship God for no other reason than the pleasure found IN HIM! ... Not His gifts... Not what we gain.... IN HIM.... Not me.... Him. I am small, He is huge. The deepest and most enduring joy is found in God and only in Him. Not from God, but in God.
I find that I muddle around pursuing trinkets and small things, when God is inviting me to be consumed for that which is ultimate - Him.... pleasure in Him. I want to go there. I want to plumb the depths. I want, with all my heart, to genuinely find my deepest satisfaction in Him. Then, I spend a day drinking from every well, but His tasteful, eternal, filling water. (I wish it were only a day... days... weeks!) If the joy of the Lord... the joy IN the Lord is strength, then I want to be strong. To live courageously. To live out confessions of a Christian hedonist. To, without apology, find I am satiated in Christ. I am asking Him to make all other water bitter. I want His living water. I want joy... not happiness.... not something trite.... I want to be satisfied!
I read some pretty cool words..... to be truly satisfied is to begin NOW..... This is the day I have...even more, this is the moment I have to savor. So, I think I will quit typing... forget yesterday and not worry about tomorrow. I think I will live in this moment - satisfied. I am In Christ. My joy is IN HIM. There is nothing in my future that it 'out there' that will finally bring me joy. I receive joy right now... I am satisfied in Him. Dont't seize moments, Seize God! I think I like the idea of being a Christian hedonist - seeking the only true satisfaction. What do you think?

Mark