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 species 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

READ: Exodus 37:1-9

It makes sense to use our senses to glorify God.

The Bible in one year:

• Exodus 36-38
• Matthew 23:1-22