Happiness - Pt. 4

 

Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. (Psalm 119:89-93 ESV).

 

When I was in the Corps at Texas A&M we would often practice in formation. It was not long until we all learned how to march in columns and lines without any deviation. The picture I’ve attached with today’s devotional pictures the precision of the Cadet Corps and the Aggie Band at halftime of the game last Saturday. That Block T required over 2,500 men and women precisely lined up in their positions. Reliance on your fellow cadets is essential. This principle is at the heart of finding happiness in our lives. Happiness is not just about avoiding the way of wickedness and folly. And it’s not about staying away from people. The life of the monk or the hermit is not the ideal of the Christian faith, as some early Christians believed. Christianity is distinguished by a lifestyle in tune with the will of God. He is the One we can get our “columns and lines” straight. And, that produces happiness.

 

Psalm 1:1-2 answers, “Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” The Word of God is our source of joy and happiness. We are encouraged to meditate on it daily. We must fill our minds with God's truth. We must feed our hearts with the promises that come from the Word of God. His Word is better than refined gold and sweeter than honey. God’s Word restores the soul and gives wisdom to the simple. This is what walking in His steps looks like.

 

In this time when so much misinformation circulates on the internet and other media, the Word is bread that nourishes and water that purifies. Through it we keep our hearts pure, and we triumph over the enemy. Today and every day, remember to feed on God’s Word and to enjoy the nourishment that sustains us, heart and soul, on the way to full life.