“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” – Benjamin Franklin (kind of)

If you get around Christian beer drinkers long enough, someone is bound to bring up the epic quote from Benjamin Franklin above.  So it was only a matter of time before I brought it up on theBeerean.com, and what better day than on Valentines Day.  There is only one problem. He never said it.  His real quote was really talking about was rain and wine and stuff of the sort and not about beer.  But whether ole Benny said it or not…it’s still true (so you can attribute it to me if you like).

The truth is that God wants us to be happy.  This might be something new to some of us, but it is true.  Now I’m not talking about having pockets full of Benny’s and rolling in a Cadi on some dubs…happy.  I’m talking about the deep satisfaction that is found in Jesus alone.  God knows that our true joy/happiness comes by enjoying Him.  In fact it is why we were created.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it this way:

1. What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Now many men that I’m agreement with have said that we should replace the word “and” with the word “by.”  We are to glorify God by enjoying him forever.  The ultimate way we glorify God is by enjoying him.  But how does beer play into this?  How does beer prove that God loves us and wants us to be happy?

Well since God wanted us to worship Him by enjoying Him, He created us with the capacity to have joy and to experience joy in certain ways.  Some things are going to cause joy and some things are going to cause pain.  Those things that cause us joy ultimately are meant to lead us to a heart of glorifying God.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will [some translations say pleasure] they existed and were created.”
(Revelation 4:11 ESV)

Jesus created beer for you to enjoy and glorify Him.  So when you sit down to your next meal and enjoy a nice tall cold one, take time to glorify and worship God.  Take time reflect on how much God loves you to:

1. Create you.
2. Create you with capacity to enjoy things.
3. Create things for you to enjoy.
4. Create you with the capacity to make the connection between creation and creator.
5. Create you with the capacity to then glorify God by enjoying Him

It is in that moment that you will be living out your ultimate purpose here on earth…with a cold one in you hand, a smile on your face, and Jesus in your heart.

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!