Reading from the Bible :
1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 While
I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my
being. 3 Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there
is no help. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his
plans perish. 5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope
is in the Lord his God, 6 Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is
in them; who keeps truth forever, 7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, who
gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. 8 The Lord
opens the eyes of the blind; the lord raises those who are bowed down; the Lord
loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the
fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down. 10 The
Lord shall reign forever--- your God, O Zion, to all generations .Praise the
Lord! Psalm 146
Summary :
Recently, I saw a television ad for the restaurant
chain that made a dramatic claim. At those restaurants the ad said you could “Help
Yourself to Happiness.” Wouldn’t it be nice if a helping potatoes or meat or
pasta or dessert would be all that was needed to provide happiness?
Unfortunately, no restaurant can fulfill that promise.
Happiness is an
elusive thing---as we can see in almost every area of life. Our pursuit of
happiness may involve food or a host of other things, but, in the end,
happiness continues to escape our grasp.
Why? In large
measure it’s because the things we tend to pursue do not touch the deepest
needs of our hearts. Our pursuits may provide moments of enjoyment,
distraction, or pleasure, but the cry of our heart goes unheard---the cry for
help and hope. That is why the psalmist points us to a better way when he says,
“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob
for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Ps. 146:5).
Help
yourself? Yes---if we are seeking the happiness found in the Lord. It is only
when we entrust ourselves to God and His care that we can find the happiness we
seek. Our hope and help are found only in trusting Him. ---Bill Crowder
Father,
draw me to yourself. Remind me that only
In you Will I
know the real joy and Satisfaction that
my heart longs
for. Help me to look beyond the
surface
things of life to what really matters.
The one who puts God first will have happiness that lasts.
