Make Me Smile

2 Cor. 5:9 "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him."

I enjoy making people smile. Sometimes it is done by being goofy. They just smile because I do something weird. The best time, however, is when I do or say something that not only puts a smile on their face but a genuine warmth in their hearts. My kids do this to me. You know, sometimes you watch what they do and you smile and are satisfied inside. They have made a wise decision, or they have said a timely word, or their life is honoring God. It makes me smile inside and out.

I think that this is what Paul is trying to portray here. Basically he is saying that he always wants to make God smile and be satisfied with his life. He said that he makes this his aim. This is his ambition. He earnestly runs after this, that his life would be pleasing to God.

The thing that is amazing is that he says that he wants to do this in two rhelms - whether present or absent. In order to grab what he is saying you have to go back to verse 6 and verse 8 when he talks about being present and absent. Being at home or going abroad. Living in this present world or living with the Lord. While here in this body he wants to strive to make God happy. He wants to run after the pleasure of the Lord and make Him smile. Their weird thing is that he knows that he is going to do this in heaven too...passionately run after the favor of the Lord.

Interesting, I should do the same thing here as I am going to do in heaven. Even though my address may change someday, my purpose will stay the same.

We are not there yet. While I am here make it my goal to run after the smile and satisfaction of my Lord.