I was raised to believe that all persons are born with a God-shaped vacuum, a great aching longing that would never be satisfied apart from Him. Or, as Augustine put it, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

Many testimonies support this portrayal. And there is no doubt that people in the developed world are more restless, unhappy, unsatisfied, depressed, angry, hopeless, and lonely than ever. But few imagine that an encounter with God would give them any relief. In fact, it is more likely to make things worse. So they imagine.

Of course, very likely the god whom they’ve imagined is not the true God, revealed in Jesus Christ, and known through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, in loving community. How many Christians do you know who are truly enjoying their faith? I hope quite a few. But I don’t think the majority of those who bear the name of Christ are living in abundance of delight these days–real delight in their present ordinary experience of their faith, apart from whatever benefits may await them in the future. ”Today, right now, it is a marvelous thing to be a Christ-follower. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

For a long time, Christianity has been viewed as a costly and often painful road to Heaven (or away from Hell). We pay the price during our earthly life for the benefits we believe we will receive after we die. The price is usually the foregoing of carnal pleasures, wealth, prestige, and freedom. A Christian friend once said to me, “I think you can sum up the Christian life in the 1972 Fram oil filter commercial, ‘You can pay me now, or pay me later.'”

For whatever reasons, many, perhaps most, non-Christians simply do not want to consider Christ. They see nothing attractive in the Christian life as they know it. In response many well-meaning souls have made it their mission to demonstrate that being a Christian can be “fun” and that Christians can be “cool.” Billy Graham crusades often featured professional athletes and Miss Americas on the platform as proof.

“Geezers” are still trying to “connect” and “reach” young people. But by now everyone under 40 has seen through these stratagems. They are savvy consumers and know when they are being sold.

The Gospel should speak for itself, in the lives of Christ-followers. It’s not difficult to tell if a person is happy and truly enjoying a fulfilling life, an abundant life. It’s not hard to see if they have something more substantial than circumstances sustaining their well-being. 

The Psalms are full of affirmations of delight in God, and longing for more of Him. I’ve noticed that Orthodox Jews still seem to really love being Jewish. I mean they really love it! What do they have that most Christians these days seem to lack.

Can you say that you love being a Christ-follower, that you really enjoy your religion, that He is the delight of your heart? That becoming a Christ-follower is the greatest thing that ever happened to you? That nothing compares to the joy of being His? That even all the good and wonderful pleasures of life are distant seconds to Him? How do you feel about going to church? Do you look forward to it? Do you delight to worship God, to thank Him, praise Him, receive Him in the Sacraments, share the company of others who are on the same road?

For far too long I could have only answered those questions with an honest, “Not really.” How about you? Wouldn’t you like to have a religion that you actually enjoyed?

Over the years, I’ve invested a lot of energy in argument and explanation to “prove” the truth of Christianity. In certain seasons it helped me hold on to faith. But I don’t think I ever brought anyone to conversion through it. Delight and gratitude; freedom from entitlement, defensiveness and irritability; good humor, humility, sincere interest in others, compassion and generosity will speak more persuasively in a world that no longer cares about gimmicks, or even truth.