Enthralled With the Doll or the Rattle
The sermon warns against being enthralled with the world and encourages listeners to prioritize God's presence in all things.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the importance of seeking God above all worldly pleasures and comforts, warning that if we become too attached to earthly delights, we risk losing the presence of God in our lives. He illustrates this with the analogy of a mother who stays away when her child is preoccupied with toys, suggesting that God withdraws from those who are enthralled by worldly things. Brooks urges believers to recognize that without God's presence, all worldly gains are meaningless, as the world is merely a barren wilderness without Him.
Text
"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek You; my
soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry
and weary land where there is no water. I have seen
You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your
glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips
will glorify You!" Psalm 63:1-3
Be sure you don't take up your greatest delight . . .
in any creature,
in any comfort,
in any contentment,
in any worldly enjoyment.
When the mother sees that the child is enthralled
with the doll or the rattle--she comes not in sight.
If you take up your rest in any of the dolls and rattles
--in any of the poor things of this world, God will
certainly keep out of sight. He will never honor them
with His gracious presence--who are enthralled with
anything below Himself, below His presence.
When you begin to be tickled and enthralled with
this and that worldly enjoyment, reason thus--"Here
is a gracious spouse, here are precious children, here
is a pleasant home, here is a wonderful climate, here
is a gainful trade, etc. But what are all these to me,
so long as God has withdrawn His presence from me?"
Remember this once for all--that the whole world
is but a barren wilderness--without the gracious
presence of God!
Sermon Outline
- The Dangers of Enthrallment
- The Absence of God's Presence
- A Call to Prioritize God's Presence
- Reasoning against worldly enthrallment
- Prioritizing God's presence in all things
Key Quotes
“Be sure you don't take up your greatest delight in any creature, in any comfort, in any contentment, in any worldly enjoyment.” — Thomas Brooks
“When the mother sees that the child is enthralled with the doll or the rattle--she comes not in sight.” — Thomas Brooks
“The whole world is but a barren wilderness--without the gracious presence of God!” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We must be careful not to take up our greatest delight in worldly things, lest we lose sight of God's presence.
- Prioritizing God's presence in all things leads to a life of true joy and fulfillment.
- The world is a barren wilderness without God's gracious presence, so we must seek Him above all else.