Every human wants to be happy and to see their life and the lives of their loved ones prosper. The world sees happiness much different than God outlines it for us within His Word. The world would like us to believe that our happiness is directly connected to our physical and financial wholeness. At first that doesn’t seem like a bad thing, but without being directly and fully connected to Jesus, the One Who provided each of us with our physical form to begin with and Who sustains our prosperity in all facets of our lives we are left longing for more, feeling empty more than full, and much of the time extremely unhappy. In other words, happiness is not determined by external worldly circumstances as those are fleeting, rather it is determined by our internal contentment through our faith and spiritual connection with the One Living God Who is our only source of eternal joy and everlasting happiness.
During yesterday sermon, Pastor Mary reminded us of God’s standard for our lives and it being the highest and best for us; and today, Psalm 128 guides us with how we can successfully live out His standard. When you and I revere and honor God, we stand in a place of fear of the Lord and that is a place where we are granted His wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 9:10). Our God does not want us to be fearful of Him, rather He seeks for us to place Him in His proper position within our lives, and that is above all else, that is what it means to have the fear of the Lord. With God’s wisdom we are filled the spiritual understanding of “happiness” which is being filled with His joy. When we are filled with the joy of the Lord our lives are fruitful and we are called to share His joy and bear fruit into the lives of others. Pastor Mary said it yesterday, we are called to be servants and serve others for God’s Kingdom. Psalm 128 is a pathway for our souls to be assured that we will receive blessings because we fear the Lord, we serve others, and we seek to be peacekeepers as we serve the One Who is the Prince of Peace.
Psalm 128
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the Lord’s blessing
for those who fear him.
5 May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace!
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for setting the example of how I am to walk in fear of the Lord, in joy of Lord, in service to others, and in peace. Help me to remain in oneness with You so that I may continue to receive Your blessings and in return be a blessing to others. Please continue to bring my family closer to You. I want them to know and love You. I pray for peace within our world, for war to cease, and for Satan to flee. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.