Enjoying God by Tim Chester

Why are we here? What is our purpose? What is God’s will for my life? Aren’t these so often the questions that each of us wrestle with? In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it says that the chief purpose of man is “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Many Bible studies that I have been a part of spend time discussing how we glorify God, but I can’t remember really chatting with someone about how to enjoy him. So, Tim Chester’s book “Enjoying God” captured my attention simply because I would love to deepen my enjoyment of God- who wouldn’t?

In the opening chapter, Chester deals with how we experience God. He asks a probing and challenging question- “With which member of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son or God the Spirit- do you have the sense of a lived, experienced relationship?” (p.14). Chester then brilliantly unpacks the three persons of God and encourages his readers to understand that the Christian life is about a real relationship with God- the complete Trinity. He explains that our actions don’t make us more of a Christian, for we are saved by grace. Our actions do however, impact our communal experience of God, our relationship with him. Chester writes:

“That is why, even if you’re a Christian, your relationship with God can feel weak when you neglect that relationship. And yet at the same time, this is why you can always affirm that your union with God is based on the rock-solid ground of Christ’s finished work.” (pp. 21-22).

This becomes the base for “Enjoying God”- looking at how we can grow in our understanding of who God is and grow our relationship with and enjoyment of him.

In a busy life though, why is the enjoyment of God something we should treasure? In the second chapter, Chester unpacks that essentially “Christianity is about a relationship with God that brings joy.” (p.27). This joy then becomes a help in our everyday life- in overcoming temptation, in enduring suffering, in energising us in our service, in being a vibrant witness and in empowering our sacrifice. What great motivators?! However, none of these reasons are the primary reason we should enjoy God; as Chester says: “We pursue joy in God for God’s sake, because he is the source of joy.” (p.30). As Christians, we have joy because we have God- for all he is and all he does. The face that God gives us himself is one concept that should blow our minds and ignite our souls. God isn’t a removed, distant judge; instead God gives of himself to us, loves us, walks with us.  As our relationship grows with him, our enjoyment of him should grow too. As we learn to place our joy in God, we gain a new perspective on all situations of our lives.

Chester writes in a style that is easy to read and deeply theological. He weaves in a story of Mike and Emma, a normal everyday couple trying to raise a family that clearly illustrates the practical nature of what he is writing about in narrative form. Chester doesn’t shy away from tricky topics- instead, he dives in, carefully and skilfully unpacking these topics in an accessible way.

As I read this book, I often found myself pausing to appreciate who God is more fully . I delighted afresh in the love God has for me, I was reminded of the purpose of suffering, I savoured the amazing opportunity we have in prayer, I marvelled at the fact God chooses to use simple people like you and me in his grand strategy for salvation. I was also convicted of my need to prove myself, of my anxiety, of my busyness. In God we have the invitation to rest in him- to cast down our burdens and to live as adopted children of the Creator of the universe.

I would recommend this book for any Christian who is interested in learning more about who God is, how to enjoy him and discovering the practical implications of this knowledge. Chester helpfully writes a section “Putting It Into Practice”, Action and Reflection Questions at the end of each chapter to encourage reflection and real-life application. This also lends itself to being read in a theological reading group or book club.

Meet Emily Cobb

Emily lives with her husband David and three young children on the North Coast of NSW. She loves to write and reflect on who God is at her blog www.PursuitsofGod.com and aims to encourage other women to think theologically. In her spare time, she loves to explore her local area with her family and a picnic, pick up a creative project, or enjoy a nice cup of tea while reading a book. Emily is the author of Made for More (Matthias Media).