Don't Worry, Be Happy? Part 2

A current commercial for a popular drugstore chain claims that it is located “at the corner of Happy and Healthy.”  For some reason, I find myself recoiling at the label “happy” attached to anything these days, since life seems to be getting more and more difficult.  Often we suspect that the happiest among us are just living in denial.  And yet, as we suggested last week, the most joyful people on the planet should be Christians.  Not necessarily the happiest, but certainly the ones with the most to be happy about. The Psalmist writes of a life with God:

"Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever" Psalm 16:11

Joy is one way God wants His work to be known.  A kind of trademark, so to speak.  It’s true of the created order— nature, as well.  The prophet Isaiah said it this way:

                                                                                     

"For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12

Here are some other observations about joy and laughter in the Bible…

1.                    Timing is everything:

To everything there is a season: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;       Ecclesiastes 3:4

2.                    God Himself enjoys a good laugh:
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Psalm 2:4 (Remember that famous   one-liner: If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”)

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

3.                    God is the joy-giver: 
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.  Job 8:21

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”   Psalm 126:2

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Psalm 16:11

You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.  Psalm 4:7

4.                    God prescribes laughter for our well-being: 
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Proverbs 17:22

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.  Proverbs 15:13

5.                    Sarcasm has its place, but not all laughter is helpful to the human spirit: 
And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”  1 Kings 18:27
 
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let   there be thanksgiving.  Ephesians 5:4

6.                    True joy is a choice:
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.  Habakkuk 3:18

Advertisers may want you to believe you need a Walgreens to be happy and healthy, but Jesus is calling you and me to offer the world a much better alternative: freedom, favor, joy. Freedom from bondage, the favor of God through Christ, and overflowing joy in all circumstances.   Not a bad prescription, I’d say. 

tad