Jonathan Edwards #22
Resolved, To endeavour to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigour, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
In other words: Don’t waste your passion. Keep your eye on the eternal prize.
One obvious aspect of Edwards doctrine and passion, and one that I personally struggle to keep on a daily basis, was the constant focus of that which is eternal. We can see through Edwards’ resolutions that he understood the importance of not being consumed with the “here and now” of this world. Just in the simple phrase “in the other world” we can see what the ultimate goal of finding happiness was, and it is what Christ desires us to fix our hearts upon. We are a goal-focused society that chases after what is tangible to the flesh. We constantly need to be satisfied with whatever is the new black. It has the possibility to penetrate every section of our lives. It works in many ways but clashes more times than not with true Christian piety. When we strive for happiness in this world, the results are not good; we become either prideful, envious, lustful, or ill-tempered. Why? Because such happiness does not last and cannot sustain. Things get old, out of date, and they break down.
That is why the children of God need to strive to achieve as much happiness as we can with our minds set on the things of Christ, who is not of this world. His love is ever-renewing. His grace never grows old. His glory shines new every morning, and His mercy never fades away. Think you can find something like that in Orange County? Good luck. The Lord Himself is where we are to take the broken cisterns of our lives for it is He that can repair them and fill them with living water. The One who saved us from sin and death deserves and is worthy to be the focus of our deepest feelings (which I believe Edwards used violence to express in this way). May He reign in our lives and in our hearts so that we may find our happiness in the eternal assurance of sweet rest.
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
(Jeremiah 2:13)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
(Philippians 2:13)
[This article is part of an ongoing series on the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards.]
