Living in the Spirit
October 27, 2021
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:1-8
Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
O that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous ordinances.
I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
I just discovered that I did not know what the word “happy” means. When I read the first line of the above scripture, Happy are those whose way is blameless, my mind immediately flashed to the plight of Julius Jones, a prisoner on death row awaiting execution. There are many questions about his guilt in the murder of a man. In my opinion, there exist too many unanswered issues to execute him, but a jury disagreed, as have the appeals courts. Much information has evolved since the trial that was not available for the jury to consider. A very compelling case could be made that he was innocent. However, if he is blameless, I doubt that he would use my definition of the word “happy” to describe his state of being.
Merriam-Webster defines happy as:
- favored by luck or fortune
- notably well adapted or fitting, markedly effective
- having the feeling arising from the consciousness of well-being*
Strong’s Concordance uses blessed as a near-synonym**. Other Biblical translations use blessed instead of happy, which perhaps suggests a relationship with God. He was 19 years old when the crime was committed and was sentenced to death in 2002. He could have quit feeling a long time ago.
I think definition number three fits Julius Jones’s situation. One attains a sense of well-being when one is right with God, no matter what others think. I know nothing about his faith, but I pray he has found that sense of well-being that comes from a relationship with God. I also pray that, as a government, we seek restorative justice for all in all situations.
Prayer: God, forgive us when we fail to do justice and practice mercy. Amen.
*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/happy
**https://biblehub.com/hebrew/835.htm
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.