By: Landon Ditto
Last Tuesday night during my semi-interested viewing of American Idol, my soul’s longing to know goodness and satisfaction was fulfilled. Well, that’s what the advertising department of a well known dieting product told me. By viewing “before and after” pictures and listening to tearful testimonials, I was promised (on the box) that I would “feel good about myself and be totally satisfied.” How did I filter this marketing ploy?
God is the author of good. After shaping the world and breathing life into man, He assessed what He had created as “very good.” James 1:17 tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from above.”
God is also the author of satisfaction. Psalm 145:16 says of Him, “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”
So when did humanity decide that the creating God’s definition of satisfaction had holes in it? Well, Genesis 3. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were the first ones to buy into a well-marketed ad campaign. In buying into the enemy’s ad that promised satisfaction, purpose, and stability, they left God’s perfect provision and ventured out on their own to find “better” things. Things that would satisfy.
Isn’t that what drives the ad world? “Driving this car will satisfy.” “Owning this real estate will satisfy.” “Wearing this or looking like this or being this will satisfy.”
Here is what Adam and Eve and all redeemed people have found to be true about things that promise to satisfy outside of God’s boundaries: They don’t. And the results are bad.
After Genesis 3, the rest of the Bible tells us about God’s plan to redeem those people who go outside of His bounds to find satisfaction.
That’s us. He’s a gracious God, isn’t He?
So enjoy creative advertising and catchy marketing tactics. But enjoy them with the knowledge that you’ve been designed to find complete and total satisfaction in the God who created you through knowing His son Jesus Christ.
Last Tuesday night during my semi-interested viewing of American Idol, my soul’s longing to know goodness and satisfaction was fulfilled. Well, that’s what the advertising department of a well known dieting product told me. By viewing “before and after” pictures and listening to tearful testimonials, I was promised (on the box) that I would “feel good about myself and be totally satisfied.” How did I filter this marketing ploy?
God is the author of good. After shaping the world and breathing life into man, He assessed what He had created as “very good.” James 1:17 tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from above.”
God is also the author of satisfaction. Psalm 145:16 says of Him, “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”
So when did humanity decide that the creating God’s definition of satisfaction had holes in it? Well, Genesis 3. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were the first ones to buy into a well-marketed ad campaign. In buying into the enemy’s ad that promised satisfaction, purpose, and stability, they left God’s perfect provision and ventured out on their own to find “better” things. Things that would satisfy.
Isn’t that what drives the ad world? “Driving this car will satisfy.” “Owning this real estate will satisfy.” “Wearing this or looking like this or being this will satisfy.”
Here is what Adam and Eve and all redeemed people have found to be true about things that promise to satisfy outside of God’s boundaries: They don’t. And the results are bad.
After Genesis 3, the rest of the Bible tells us about God’s plan to redeem those people who go outside of His bounds to find satisfaction.
That’s us. He’s a gracious God, isn’t He?
So enjoy creative advertising and catchy marketing tactics. But enjoy them with the knowledge that you’ve been designed to find complete and total satisfaction in the God who created you through knowing His son Jesus Christ.
