Satisfaction

Citing a Rolling Stones song as the basis for a Christian blog article would seem to make unlikely bedfellows. After all, the Stones were the original drugs, sex and rock and roll band. Nothing Biblical about that unless you’re talking about Sodom and Gomorrah. One of their early hits “I Can’t Get no Satisfaction” closely mirrors problems every Christian runs into as they try to be in, but not of the world. You see, humans are control freaks, some worse than others, of course. We try to go it alone. We try to disregard that helping hand from above because either we don’t want to bother God with trivialities or we believe that whatever talent our Maker has bestowed upon us, makes it unnecessary to ask for our Lord’s help. This could not be further from the truth. From the first verse of the song, “I can't get no satisfaction. I can't get no satisfaction. 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try. I can't get no, I can't get no.” When it becomes all about us, we lose our direction and fall away from God.

If it is worldly goals that drive us to succeed, no success is truly satisfying, because there is always another mountain to climb, another record to be broken and another challenge to overcome. We can never have enough money, fame or love to satisfy our cravings. 1 Peter 1:3-9, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” If pleasing God is our goal, He will always be pleased with our efforts, no matter how feeble they may be. If God is pleased with us, we attain that which we cannot alone, our lives filled with our Father’s love.

From another verse of the song, “When I'm ridin' round the world and I'm doin' this and I'm signing that and I'm tryin' to make some girl who tells me baby better come back later next week 'cause you see I'm on losing streak. I can't get no, oh no no no. Hey hey hey, that's what I say. I can't get no, I can't get no, I can't get no satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction.” This world we live in was created for us by our Father in heaven. Everything we have and are is a gift, given to us by a loving Father. Every misstep, every success and everything in between is a gift to be cherished. When we are thankful for what we have, it is always enough. When we look to please our Lord and worry about our needs secondary, we can get that satisfaction that is so fleeting for those that are not only in the world, but are of the world. This life is fleeting. Nothing more than a short stopping point before eternity. When things are looked at in their proper prospective, we will never be disappointed. When we look at that mirror and see that unworthy, sinful human being that is loved in spite of all of our shortcomings, we can be satisfied. When we realize that our sin is no more, that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ took the punishment we have so justly deserved, we can truly be satisfied. When we realize that our Father prepares a place for us in His house if we only believe, we can be not only satisfied, but overjoyed at the prospect, that after this life, we will live in eternity with our Lord.

Jesus said in John 14:1-7, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” If our God is pleased and loves us, who can truly say they can’t get no satisfaction? God’s grace is our greatest gift. Be truly satisfied in that no matter your circumstance on this earth.