Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: To glorify God and enjoy him forever.
At least, that's what the Westminster Shorter Catechism says it is. And I, for one, would tend to agree. At least, on a good day, I would.
See, since May I have found that my mind is a mess of differing desires. Different chief enjoyments.
The desire to enjoy sleep.
The desire to enjoy food and drink.
The desire to spend time with my family.
The desire to be healthy.
The desire to tune out all the noise.... and get lost in technology
In my heart, I know there is something better. I know that I was made to bring glory, not to hide from the one I would bring it to.
But when I hear the maker of the universe whisper in my ear, "Come to the fountain and drink... be satisfied."
A broken part of me whispers back;
"But how could some God who is far away ever be as satisfying as these pleasures right before me?"
"Will he even show up to satisfy you if you slow down and listen for his voice?"
"Has he ever truly satisfied you?"
But these temptations to believe he is holding out, ring as empty as the first one uttered to my ancestors, "Did God say?"
God was not holding out on my flesh's parents. He offered them all that they needed and more.
So today, I am taking that broken piece of flesh to my father, it is not working as it should.
I would like to write that I am reckoning with my flesh.
To say, "I am going to dust off my hands and get back to what I know is my chief end."
That would be poetic, but I know that I would simply end up writing the same thing in 5 months.
No I can't fix this bent piece of flesh alone.
It was the Lord who had to change my heart to desire him at all.
Now he has shown me that a part of me still longs for the world.
A part of me foolishly thinks that it is better than him.
My end is to glorify him.
The end of the things I yearn for... The same.
To hell with using them to hide from him.
To hell with distractions.
Lord be glorified through how you meet me through these good gifts.
Glorify your name by using what once distracted me to point to you.
Fix this bent and broken piece of flesh, making it one more testament to your glory through your grace.
A Hymn of Return
"I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in his arms
In the arms of my dear savior
Oh, there are 10,000 charms"
Answer: To glorify God and enjoy him forever.
At least, that's what the Westminster Shorter Catechism says it is. And I, for one, would tend to agree. At least, on a good day, I would.
See, since May I have found that my mind is a mess of differing desires. Different chief enjoyments.
The desire to enjoy sleep.
The desire to enjoy food and drink.
The desire to spend time with my family.
The desire to be healthy.
The desire to tune out all the noise.... and get lost in technology
In my heart, I know there is something better. I know that I was made to bring glory, not to hide from the one I would bring it to.
But when I hear the maker of the universe whisper in my ear, "Come to the fountain and drink... be satisfied."
A broken part of me whispers back;
"But how could some God who is far away ever be as satisfying as these pleasures right before me?"
"Will he even show up to satisfy you if you slow down and listen for his voice?"
"Has he ever truly satisfied you?"
But these temptations to believe he is holding out, ring as empty as the first one uttered to my ancestors, "Did God say?"
God was not holding out on my flesh's parents. He offered them all that they needed and more.
So today, I am taking that broken piece of flesh to my father, it is not working as it should.
I would like to write that I am reckoning with my flesh.
To say, "I am going to dust off my hands and get back to what I know is my chief end."
That would be poetic, but I know that I would simply end up writing the same thing in 5 months.
No I can't fix this bent piece of flesh alone.
It was the Lord who had to change my heart to desire him at all.
Now he has shown me that a part of me still longs for the world.
A part of me foolishly thinks that it is better than him.
My end is to glorify him.
The end of the things I yearn for... The same.
To hell with using them to hide from him.
To hell with distractions.
Lord be glorified through how you meet me through these good gifts.
Glorify your name by using what once distracted me to point to you.
Fix this bent and broken piece of flesh, making it one more testament to your glory through your grace.
A Hymn of Return
"I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in his arms
In the arms of my dear savior
Oh, there are 10,000 charms"
To God be the glory.
Mark Scaffidi
Mark Scaffidi