Happy Are Those...

 

"Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God." (Matthew 5:8, GNT)

 

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

It was quite a change I noticed in the corn field after I got back to Wisconsin last week from my two weeks trip to Korea. Wow! They grow well! As our summer is getting much greener now, we are going much deeper walking with Jesus in our spiritual journey in this season. Is that true? I think so!

 

Anyway, how’s your summer vacation time going with you so far if you already had it? Did you see the grace of God wherever you visited, the treasure of heaven? And do you feel blessed or happy as you see the grace of God around you or find the treasure of heaven? 

 

Actually, as I got back home, sweet home, from my trip to Korea, I happened to listen to an interesting song named “Happy We” from Handel’s comic opera, Acis and Galatea. It is a very simple song because a loving couple repeats a few words over and over again throughout the entire song.

 

“Happy, happy we! What joys we feel, what charms we see, Happy we!”

 

That simple song just makes me ponder what makes us happy. We know happiness is a very popular theme in our life and there are so many happiness experts wrote about happiness like… The Art of Happiness, Psychology of Happiness, Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, Happiness Now, Happiness Project, Resisting Happiness, Happiness is a choice, and Secrets of Happiness, etc. Even, there is a Workbook for Happiness.

 

It looks like “Happiness” or being happy or staying in happiness is very critical matter for us. No wonder why Jesus also talked about the happy people when he gave a sermon on the mountain because people want to be happy always. I am the one of them and there is no exception, I presume.

 

Generally speaking, people feel happy when three things are fulfilled: having a controlling power, having an ability to work well and being recognized by others - the more, the better! In other words, holding a remote control is a key to happiness like when “my will be done on earth”! It means, we start to feel unhappy if we’re controlled by others; if we’re not able to do much; and if nobody recognizes us! Those are all about what we don’t “want” as well as what we “want” for our happiness.

 

However, what is the true happiness for us who want to follow Christ taking our own cross, the true happiness that we “need” for the eternal Kingdom of God? 

 

“Happy are those who reject the advise of the evil people; who do not follow the

example of sinners; or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find the

joy obeying the law of Lord, and study it day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2, GNT)

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, how do we pursue our happiness now during this season of deeper green? Are we looking for what we want - the temporary one, or for what we need - the eternal one? Which one is the true happiness for us? We are truly happy when we see God’s will and when we follow it with our whole heart and strength even though we are not perfect and it is not happening right now in here but someday when only God recognizes us as faithful children as we sing, “God’s will be done on earth as in heaven”!!

 

Let us be happy in the freedom that Jesus brought us in this season as we seek the Kingdom of God first!! 

 

Grace and Peace,