“Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” (Psalm 51:8)
How fleeting are the pleasures of sin! What promises us fulfillment in a moment of passion, leaves us emptier than ever. After his foray into the forbidden, David experienced firsthand a soul crushing desolation which he describes as his bones being broken. He who had known fullness of joy and continuous pleasure in his relationship with the living God now cried out: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation …” (Ps. 51:12).
Human intimacy, no matter how pleasant or passionate, can never replace the loss of intimacy with God. Solomon, the progeny of David’s relationship with Bathsheba, in his misguided quest for “more” in this world, painfully discovered the same emptiness. He could only warn young men against forgetting God in their pursuit of this earth’s goods.
“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity” (Eccl. 11:9,10).
While telling the young man Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22); Paul also told him that God “giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). God has created us with the capacity to enjoy many earthly pleasures, which are not evil in and of themselves. They only become evil when we bow down and serve them; putting them before our face and God behind our back.
When we put God first, He gladly permits us to partake of the tree of life. The gifts and blessings of this earth are ours to richly enjoy without guilt or shame. But when we put anything before God, making an idol of it, nothing can satisfy or fulfill us. “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked …” (Psalms. 32:10). Our idols fail us. They leave us high and dry. “…The rebellious dwell in a dry land” (Ps. 68:6). The lusts that drive us to them are deceitful. “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel” (Prov. 20:17).
God allows U-turns. He is a good shepherd who seeks and saves those who have foolishly turned to their own way. If we let Him, He will restore our soul. If we return to Him, He will return to us. And with His return will come a restoration of fullness of joy and everlasting pleasure.