Healthy Pleasures

“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

Matthew 6:9-13

I reckon one of the questions many Christians ask is, what can I pray for? It’s understandable. We want to do what is right? But we are also living in a world full of needs and wants and wants that sometimes feel like needs. So how should we pray? And what can we pray for?

Jesus doesn’t answer that question with a list. But with a set of principles. Firstly, our prayers should be shaped by God’s purposes in the world. That His name would be hallowed, His Kingdom come and His will be done.

That’s the big picture. But in daily operations of the advancement of God’s Kingdom, God knows we have needs. Physical needs and spiritual needs. We need forgiveness and protection from the evil one.

But let’s focus on our physical needs. For more info I encourage you to find the Sunday sermon preached on this passage (3.11.2024). But here is a question I didn’t answer in that sermon. Can we ask for things for our enjoyment? Pleasure? Is that ok?

My answer. I think we can but again, even these prayers should be God-centred. After all, the Psalmist says that pleasures are at the right hand of God. 

So for instance, Lord, would you provide for a holiday where I might rest but also be enchanted again by your power and beauty.

Or, Lord would you provide for my wedding where we might joyfully celebrate the gift of marriage and encourage people with the truths about Jesus.

Pleasure is not inherently evil on this side of the new creation. But it is often entrancing, seductive and addictive. We need to be careful that our desires for pleasure might be used by Satan to lead us to sin. This takes reflection and discernment.

Here is the question to ask. Will this thing that I’m asking for lead me closer to God? Or further away from Him?

For Today:

• What and who do you pray for most often?
• What is one thing you should pray for more often?
• Is there an enjoyment you desire to pray for? Is it a healthy pleasure? Or unhealthy?

Pray: 

• Praise the Father that He desires to give eternal pleasures to His people.
• Give thanks for Jesus who bought for us the right to pray.
• Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others pray for healthy pleasures.