overcoming the natural

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Luke 22:35-53. Jesus tells His disciples to stop sleeping and pray so they don't fall into temptation.

And that, even taken all by itself, is some profound advice. God has given us great gifts of pleasure and enjoyment. He created so many different plants, animals, and other types of beauty all around us every day to enjoy visually. He's given us so many different kinds of food to taste and smell, and so much pleasure in listening to the music of nature as well as what we make. And that's good.

But He also calls us to overcome that enjoyment. To deprive ourselves of the enjoyments of food, sleep, sex, etc. not so that we can be miserable, but so that we can transcend the natural enjoyments to something greater. We fast during lent so that Easter can change us that much more profoundly. We give up sex with EVERYONE in the whole world except for our spouse so that we can enjoy the special love and freedom that comes with the trust in that relationship. We give up sleep so that we can pray - and avoid the temptation of sloth. Most people think sloth just means being lazy... but it actually means laziness about spiritual things. Just not finding the will to go to church, or spend time in prayer, or help the poor. We can avoid that sloth by praying, and asking Him to fill us with that desire.

So remember, God gives us pleasure. And He calls us to transcend that pleasure to do great things with our lives. Enjoy the pleasure at the right time, in the right way. But also be prepared to give it up when it's necessary, so that we can transcend pleasure in knowing Him better.

God, thanks for the blessings of pleasure and the call to transcend it.