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February 5, 2006
The Sensuous Christian
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. —James 1:17

The gratification of our senses has gotten a bad reputation, perhaps because we live in a world obsessed with pleasure. But God approves of the proper experience of pleasure through our five senses.

First, God created our senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—and all that He created is good.

Second, God made sensuousness a part of worship. Consider God’s first formal worship setting: the tabernacle. It housed an ornate, gold-covered ark to hold the stone tablets God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. God approves of beauty. It had an altar of incense where priests burned a blend of fragrant spices made by a perfumer. God approves of pleasant aromas. It had an elaborate table with plates and pitchers. God approves of a tasteful dining experience. Around the tabernacle were curtains made from colorful yarn and finely twisted linen. God approves of beautiful colors and textures. Music was also a component of worship, as we learn from reading 2 Chronicles 29:28. God approves of pleasing sounds.

Yes, God values things that look, sound, smell, taste, and feel good. But He doesn’t want us to worship them; He wants our enjoyment and gratitude to prompt us to worship Him, the Creator and giver of all good things.  — Julie Ackerman Link

God gave us five senses
His world to enjoy;
But when we indulge them,
Their good we destroy. —D. De Haan

It makes sense to use our senses to glorify God.


For similar resources, search these topics:

Bible in One Year: Exodus 25–27; Proverbs 13:1-12
http://rbc.org/devotions.aspx?id=8866
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