They were happy

“They ate and drank and were happy.” 1 Kings 4:20

These were the golden days of Israel. But, you don’t know what you have till it’s gone. Solomon ended his days with a sigh, reflecting, I think, upon these times: “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

Happiness. The ever elusive, the barely tasted. Our first parents had it; sin ruined everything. “Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and miserable.” But in Christ all is changed. Does God want his holy people to be happy? Absolutely. What kind of monster do you think he is?

The happiness God desires for us is of course real happiness. It’s spiritual happiness now, and, hard-won happiness that lasts forever. But it is happiness. “God,” says the Ph.C. (Philosopher of Cliché), “wants us to be joyful, but not happy.” Their course study included rejoice in the Lord always, but be happy in the Lord always they have not heard of.

After all, “joy and happiness are not the same thing.” How could they be? Well, mostly because they are. Interestingly, the Greek word behind Paul’s command to rejoice means to be in a state of happiness (BDAG, for those playing along at home). I’m afraid so. Let’s leave our cute and meaningless distinctions once and for all and delight ourselves in our amazing God.