Apostle Paul encourages us to please God in all we think, all we say, and all we do in this life. Paul talks about the new heavenly bodies we will have in heaven. He says that when this temporary earthly tent we live is taken down when we die and leave our earthly bodies, God will show us a place, heaven where He himself will clothe us with eternal bodies. The difference between the heavenly bodies and earthly bodies are the former will get tired, worn-out, tempted by satan to sin, attacked by sicknesses and above all temporary but the latter are glorious immortal and sinless bodies. Paul says that even though we long to have our permanent heavenly bodies as clothing after we leave the earth, it is imperative to glorify God through our earthly bodies that are prone to sin by leading a life that is pleasing to Him. That is why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:9, “So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.” He says we must lead a life pleasing God because we must all stand before Christ one day to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. We can please God only through the help of the Holy Spirit indwelling in our hearts. We can please God by leading our lives with firm faith in Him. We read in Hebrews 11:6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” We need to have faith in God for our every life events. Those who led their lives pleasing God, God lifted them to the higher position. David prayed in Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you,” The blue print of our hearts will be seen in the words of our mouth. This is why David asks God’s help to make sure his words and thoughts are pleasing to the Lord. Do we please God through our words and thought? Even in another occasion David asks God’s help to guard his lips. His prayer in Psalm 141:3 ask, “Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.” Do we ask God to guard our lips and hearts so that what we say and think would be pleasing to Him? There is a blessing in pleasing God through our lives. We read in Galatian 6:8, “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Harold B. Lee, one of the America’s church leaders, known for his quotes and optimism, once said, “Life is God’s gift to man. What we do with it is our gift to God.” Do we please God with our life and through our living? Most times we also want to please men. Many times “pleasing men” take higher priority over “pleasing God.” If we carry out these plans of God will I please this group of people? Will that person be upset? Do we realize how much time wasted in living to please Men. Those who are in the ministry must learn to please God and must be receptive to God’s direction. Apostle Paul’s strategy as a missionary was to please God alone. He says in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, “We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.” Are we wasting time pleasing men and not God?

Once, a great group of people gathered in an auditorium for a concert by a famous violinist. He entertained the audience by playing fantastic pieces and people were amazed by his talents. People clapped theirs hands for every piece and enjoyed the evening. The violinist though enthused by the gesture for appreciation of his talents, he was discouraged to see an old man with gray beard, though seated on the very first row not showing any signs of appreciation to the violinist. The violinist took this as a challenge. He started playing some marvelous and difficult pieces on his violin. Now for this one, the entire audience stood and great applaud reached the roof of the auditorium. The old man not moved a little bit; the violist took this on his shoulders. He decided let me use all my best skills for the next one. The violinist played with all his energy one of the best pieces he ever played on a concert like this and finally he stopped with sweating and with a great thunder of applause from the audience. Now he noticed the old man who stood and clapped and clapped till the audience grew tired. It turned out that, the old man happened to be the violinist’s “Guru."

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
Be thou my best thought in the day and the night, both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word, Be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son; be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise: Be thou mine inheritance now and always;
Be thou and thou only the first in my heart; O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright sun, O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all. [Irish Hymn, c. 8th century; Trans. Mary Byrne, 1905, and Versified by Eleanor Hull, 1912]   

Prayer: Lord, it is enough going around and pleasing people. I want to please you in all I think, and in all I say, and in all I do. Please help me not to please men but to please the Maker of men!

May your have a God-pleasing Day!