What is your greatest pleasure? What do you enjoy the very most? Over 1500 adult Americans answered that question recently in a poll conducted by an advertising agency, and how do you think they responded?
More people reported that they enjoyed watching TV than anything else on the list. Watching TV was, checked by 68% of those responding—more than family, food or travel or sport or (at the bottom of the list!) religion.
But it is such a temporary pleasure. Yesterday's programs—where are they today? Truly, they are "pleasures... for a season," a very brief season.
Almost half got "pleasure and satisfaction" from the food they ate; less than a third spoke for "religion." Evidently they consider their bodies more important than their souls! When the Lord Jesus Christ was on earth He said, "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." John 6:2727Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27).
Everlasting life. Not "pleasures... for a season," but everlasting joy. "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11).
What are the things listed in the "pleasure poll" to compare with that? Are you content to spend your life—your one short life on earth—in such temporary pleasures, when pleasures for evermore are offered you?