“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him” (Revelation 22:3 ESV)
Jonathan Edwards once preached a sermon on Revelation 22:3 titled Serving God in Heaven. In this wonderful sermon he said that “the happiness of the saints in heaven consists partly in that they there serve God”. There are two things that strike me here. First is the beautiful hope and truth that we will be happy in heaven. Secondly, that the happiness in heaven will come in a particular way; in serving God. Thirdly, the happiness in serving God begins in this life.
What is happiness according to Edwards? “When the creature is in that state that is most agreeable to the proper perfection of its nature, then it is in its most happy state.” It is typical for Edwards to speak in terms that are not easy for us with far more inferior minds to understand. What is he saying to us? He is saying that when we live up to our purpose and design, we are most happy.
When I step up to the pulpit and preach on Sundays I feel so alive. It is so real to me, such a fit, it seems at that moment when my life makes the most sense. It is my happiest moment. It is my worship and glorying publicly of the God I love, honor, and cherish. When my dear wife is tending to her family and home and garden, she is happiest. We are all most happy when we are doing what we desire to do and are designed by God to do.
Conversely we are most unhappy when we are not doing what we were designed to do. Nothing gives me more emptiness and frustration as a pastor then when I have had to focus upon administration, counseling, committees, trying to please others, grow a church, etc. During seasons of my life when ministry primarily was required to focus upon those things my life was full of frustration and discontent. Like the saying goes, I was like a fish out of water. Just as a fish is happiest when swimming, we are happiest when we are swimming in God’s purpose.
We are happiest when we are being what God made us to be and doing what God made us to do. And we were made to know God and glorify Him forever. Happiness in God involves service. Edwards says “when a serves God he acts according to nature. It is a most excellent action, an action of true happiness.” Remember how Eric Liddell in the movie Chariots of Fire said that when he ran it gave him pleasure because he could feel the Lord’s pleasure?
Oh how much is our service gives glory to God! Oh how happy and alive are we when we serve Him in the fullness of what He has made us to be!
Striving for most excellent actions,
Pastor Bill
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