Exhortation: God as Cosmic Mr. No?

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

C.S. Lewis writes about a schoolboy who was once asked what God was like. He replied that, as far as he could make out, God was “The sort of person who is always snooping round to see if anyone is enjoying himself and then trying to stop it.” I believe one of the reasons so many of young evangelicals have abandoned the faith is because they have grown up in a faith that is more concerned about what you cannot do than what you can do. There is little talk about the freedoms we have in Christ; God is viewed as the cosmic Mr. No. But as St. Paul says, “God provides us with everything to enjoy.”[1] Certainly, there are commandments for us to keep, but within the parameters of God’s law, there is freedom. Christ has made us for this world…and this world is made for us. God is not trying to stop us from enjoying ourselves, He is trying to teach us to enjoy ourselves more than we can ever imagine. The Gospel of John tells us that he came to give us life and life more abundant. This is the life he offers you today in this worship service.

Prayer: Teach us to delight in you, O God. Cause us to delight in what you give us, even as you nourish us through word and sacraments on this day. Amen.