Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in Your Presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!"

In God's Presence is the only place there is fullness of joy!  The only place where pleasures are forevermore!  It is so true that all other pleasures are incomplete and quickly end.  When I was young, I did not see that so clearly.  As I age, my vision is sharpening.

Thankfully, God has given us many glimpses of joy and pleasure, but on this Earth, there is nothing that has not been ravaged by The Curse.  Even though I am (again thankfully) invited into His Presence, even that is hampered by sin and a thousand not-necessarily-sinful distractions.  The fatalistic view of "all good things must end" appears true.  But only for a time!  One day my salvation will be complete!  One day I will "know even as I am known"!  One day I will be able to bask fully and completely unhindered in His amazing Presence!  Think on it!!  FULLNESS of joy!  Pleasures FOREVERMORE!

In the meantime, there is much that needs doing on this cursed Earth.  There is much darkness, and sometimes Evil appears to be winning.  But NO!!  Always there are glimpses of Psalm 16:11, and always I keep my eyes on the day when the glimpses become the only reality.  I wait and long for that day - when my faith is made sight, when joy is truly full, and pleasures never end!

"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there.  There is no such thing!"

"Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret?  There are better things ahead than any we leave behind!"

Both quotes by C.S. Lewis