The Pursuit of Happiness

Happy Birthday Altha! Today many people will wish my wife Altha a “happy” birthday—not a successful or a lucky day, and certainly not a sad day, but a happy one. Why? because happiness is what we all want—for ourselves and others. As a matter of fact, we Americans consider it our constitutional right!

It is significant that Jesus began His sermon on the mount by proclaiming happiness—in what-we-call the beatitudes. The word “blessed” can be translated happy, and many scholars do. But the real meaning of “blessed” is “fully satisfied.” The English word “happy” derives from the old English word “hap,” meaning luck or favorable circumstances. This is the kind of happiness “earthlings” pursue—wealth, success, power, beauty, popularity… But Jesus teaches us to pursue the happiness that comes from being rightly related to Him, finding our satisfaction in Him. Pursuing God IS pursuing happiness!

Well I can assure that Altha does. Deeply satisfied by her pursuit of God, she knows that higher ‘blessedness.’ And as a result, she brings happiness to others.

And what's more, we have a happy God. Paul spoke of the “glorious gospel of the BLESSED God” (1 Tim. 1:11). David said “BLESSED be God” (Ps. 68:35). Do we make God happy? David thought so: “The Lord takes pleasure in those who honor Him and trust in His constant love” (Psalm 147:11). Our pursuit of God gives Him pleasure, i.e., makes Him happy. And our pursuit of Him is the only thing that will ever make us happy. I know Altha will be blessed today because not only is she happy with God, but because God is happy with her! So... have a happy day, all of you!