Tag Archives: Blessed

Living in the Spirit
August 22, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 84

Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
   my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise. –Psalm 84:3-4

The word translated “happy” here could also be translated as “blessed”. I think it fits the Merriam-Webster* definition of having the feeling arising from the consciousness of well-being. The song, It is Well with My Soul** captures the idea.

 When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul
It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

 The challenge is to make this sense of well-being our steady state through good times and bad. When we rest in the love of God we are much better prepared to deal with the trials of our lives. Jesus dedicated time to be nurtured by God and his Disciples made a point of recording that fact in the stories they left for us in the scriptures. When the inevitability of evil seems to surround us, we need to remember to be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10) and nothing else really matters.

Prayer: Lord, be my river of peace when I grow weary of life’s challenges. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/Happy
**Verses one and two of the hymn It is Well with my Soul by Audrey Assad see at https://www.google.com/search?q=it+is+well+with+my+soul+lyrics&oq=i+si+well+with+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.5456j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Happy/Blessed?

water-living_water-2-2-e1357698477184Living in the Spirit
September 16, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 1

Happy are those
   who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
   or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
   and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
   planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
   and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper. –Psalm 1:1-3

The Hebrew word esher translated as “happy” in English can also be translated “blessed”. It is derived from the root word asher which means to go straight, go on, advance. What does the word “happy” really mean to us? The first meaning given by Merriam Webster for happy is favored by luck or fortune.* The fifth definition indicates the meaning “blessed” is obsolete. So how do we understand this scripture?

The word “blessed” in English means hallowed, consecrated, holy.** It strikes me that our society has rather reversed the transition of meaning. Instead of continuing thinking that happiness was related to our relationship with God, we have turned “blessed” into meaning being prosperous or having good luck.

If we go back to that root word meaning to go straight, we find our way to righteousness, to being aligned well with God’s ways. Perhaps that is best described in the English language as true joy and contentment. The real question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are settling for good luck or fortune as a substitute for right relationship with God.

Prayer: Lord, turn me around let your joy flood my soul and wash away the clutter of lesser gods that claim my life. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/happy

**http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/blessed

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.