August 30, 2024

Psalm 1:1-6 (HCSB)
The Two Ways
1 How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Jeremy Cannon
In 1988, Bobby McFerrin wrote a song called "Don't Worry, Be Happy." (If it is stuck in your head now...you are welcome!!) Could you imagine? Don't worry, be happy......what a dream that would be. Unfortunately, that is all we do today. We worry about everything, bills, money, health, jobs, children, family, and on, and on, and on. The other thing we sometimes do to combat all the worry is to search for happiness. The biggest problem with this is that many times we find our happiness in things other than God. Some think they find their happiness in the use of drugs or alcohol. Others may assume they are happy finding love from someone other than their spouse. Whatever your worry or your happiness might be, there is only one true solution, and that is working all things out through God. In Psalms chapter 1, David explains that true happiness is like a tree planted by a stream of water and warns that the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away. Those are strong, but true words. We should all take time throughout our week to focus on where we stand with God. Does He make us happy? Does He calm our worries? Are we truly living our lives in the way He wants us to? Just remember that in every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double. Don't worry, be happy. (Got you again!!!!!!)