Sunday, July 31, 2005

Reflection on my visit to Epcot (Disney World)

I was in Epcot yesterday. It was a nice place... However, I came out of it dissatisfied. All the things were great but they only left me longing for more. "Is that it?" was the constant question on my mind. Don't get me wrong, Epcot is a wonderful place. But neither Epcot nor any other worldly joy can satisfy a heart longing to be filled with the magnificent Living Water. Experiencing Epcot was as if I smelled a delicious dinner but the dinner never came. The world is satisfied with the smell, going on for days describing what a joy it was... However, the Christian would become only hungrier to get "the real thing." In his mind, he would be expecting dinner with the smell -- for he has tasted the Lord and nothing less can satisfy. All this notwithstanding, here's a warning to the "Christian pharisee." If he rejects the smell of dinner as being bad, is he likely to partake of the actual meal? I doubt it. The true Christian will delight in all things, small and great, since all of them speak of his first love: "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1:17) and "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer." (1 Timothy 4:4-5).

All worldly joys in themselves are not the end, they merely point to the greatest joy: knowing and savoring Jesus. As C.S. Lewis says, "We are far too easily satisfied..."

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