You Shall Be Happy

Last week we were in the house of mourning, talking about life in the depths of sorrow and mourning, it was appropriate somehow, my wife lost her father and the brokenness of the world was washing over us with grief and sadness. This week as we are on our pilgrimage with ancient Israel in the Psalms of Ascent, we are in the house of mirth and joy. Strange, but so much like life. This week Teri and I celebrated 37 years of marriage. In God’s providence Psalm 128 addressed happiness. And one of the key illustrations is about an abundant home life with lots of olive branches around a common table! I have lived this! (And in God’s good wisdom will for years to come, not just in seeing my children’s children, but with a young sapling!)

The Bible we might say is one long exposition of “blessedness.” Blessedness means happiness. A God totally happy in the richness of the Trinitarian family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit creates a world out of his overflowing happiness and peopled it with images that can enjoy this blessing. Even the weeds and thorns that drove our first parents out of a garden of blessing can not stop this blessing. The Covenant of Grace, God’s promise of salvation is cast in terms of blessing. “I will bless you and make you a people who will bless the world.” Jesus' first sermon is couched in terms of the blessed life. “Blessed are you.” Happy are you. Because at the root of blessing is happiness.

I have never had people question me about the first two proclamations of our vision statement—loving God and loving people, but many question me about loving life! Oh my, how easily we have let sin rob us of our birthright. Psalm 128 addresses this and shows us the promise of blessing and the way of blessing. And yet, it is full of pain, sorrow, and death. But, to think that these things have the last word is to miss our savior’s happiness in going to the cross for us. It was for joy, Hebrews says. It gave him the most happiness and joy to give himself so that he could bless us and create a big, crazy family. Who I might add, have his DNA.

So join me Sunday as we deconstruct some myths about happiness and find the path—the way to joy everlasting. Even and especially in the midst of all our sin and sorrow.

Blessings!

Jim