The Sensuous Christian
The Ark
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
6 He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.
Tommy's Thoughts:
I heard from a friend before that the reason he’s an atheist is because of how religions disrespect our current world, focusing only on heaven. He said most treat the world they live in now as an illusion, giving excuses for them to be a lousy and irresponsible person. He also added religions wrongly taught people not to enjoy their lives here, being insensible and abstaining from all kind of pleasures or enjoyments.
As a Christian, we see the world now as a reality, not an illusion. Although it will be short stay compared to the time we will spend with God later, Christians regard everything created by God and our attitude towards them as significant and have eternal consequences. God pronounces everything He created as "good” and He rejoices in them. This includes our senses which He approves the proper experience of pleasure through them. Using these senses, God wants us to enjoy and delight in His creations, leading us to be grateful and to worship Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for everything You has given to us. Teach me to be a responsible steward of Your creations, as an act of worship. Lord, help me not to worship them, but to know they are Your wonderful and perfect gifts for us to enjoy; bringing us to know You better and to glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Bee's Thoughts:
The title of today's devotion seems unusual. The word "sensual" seems 'worldly'. Yet God has created humans as sensual beings. Being sensual towards the right thing or person and at the right time is nothing wrong. But how we use our senses are of great consequences. Eve was being sensual towards the forbidden fruit and was led to sin by Satan, making us all sinners by birth..
I enjoy looking at beautiful people, pictures, songs, arts, nature, etc. Each time I look at them I praise God for His creations. A beautiful relationship with another fellow being is also something we can thank God for. Such relationship requires both to use their senses to the full.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for making me a very sensual person. I enjoy the things You have provided for me through the senses You gave me. Thank You for making all things beautiful in Your time. Amen.
.......the devotion of Tommy and Bee
