The Happiest Place on Earth:
While I was on vacation this past week with my daughter, I had time to really think about something. So, lets start with a question today. How many of you have been to see THE mouse? Come on, you know...... loaded up the care with the family and hit the road to good ole Orlando, Florida! After all the "Are we there yet's?" and "I gotta go potty!" You finally get off the I-4 and roll onto those roads with the blue signs..... anyone know what I'm talking about??? That experience, that feeling, as you drive thru those arches that say, "Welcome to Disney, the Happiest Place on Earth. For those of us who are parents, all we can hear in our heads at that point is a big "CHA CHING" right?? But for the kids, or the kids at heart like me, it's just a thrill to know that you've made it! Fun awaits beyond this point! Vacation lies beyond these borders!
So, Disney in all it’s splendor, claims that it is the “Happiest Place on Earth”. And I began to think about that...., “Is it really?”. I mean, am I happier here than anywhere else on earth. Am I happier here than with the rest of my family? Am I happier here than where I work? Am I happier here than being with my friends? Am I happier here than I am at church??? Ooooooo! Save that one for a minute. What is it about this place that makes anyone believe that it is the “happiest place on earth”?
First, don’t get me wrong, this is not a bash Disney sermon. More it is a call to reflection of oneself and what truly makes you happy and what motivates you to go and do what you love to do the most.
So, I'm going to use a verse that is fairly well known, but often not STUDIED.
Psalm 37:4 - Take Delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Lets take a look at this verse real quick. Now for those of you who are grammar fiends and such, just know that I AM NOT! But I do know that structure of written language does make a difference sometimes. So, lets look at this verse with a little more detail. This is a "Conditional Statement". It begins with a command or a condition that must be met, then tells you what the outcome will be when said condition is met. Everyone still with me here??? The second half of this sentence is the outcome of the first part. So, logically if we look at the second part first, it should reflect whether or not the beginning is true or tell us if we have accomplished the "condition". Tough stuff for an early morning discussion isnt it? You don’t have to share with everyone here the true desires of your heart, but lets discuss some of the most common “human” responses to a question like this and see how it reflects on the first part of the verse.
What is the desire of your heart??? What gets you excited? What do you spend more time on than anything else? (Ooooo thats a good one for a Sunday morning. Thank you all for spending time in the Lord's house today!) What pulls you into a conversation that you just have to talk about?? You know, Luke 6:45 tells us this "For from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." So, .... What really makes you happy??
Lets go through some of the things that this world would have us believe will make us "happy".
So, what do you think that the first one is? The first thing that the world will say is going to make you happy??
I think I heard money out there. So lets dive right in on that one?
1)Money, Money, Money - Is the desire of your heart to just gain more money? Will that make you complete? I’ll admit that there have been plenty of times that my heart has been set on just obtaining “this much” more money and then everything will be alright. Who hasn’t had this thought really? But does that truly reflect our “taking delight in the Lord”?
- 1 Timothy 6:10 - For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
- So lets go back to our core verse for today. Psalm 37:4. This Love of money, this making it the desire of our heart....... Do you think that lines up with Delight in the Lord? Nope, in fact has a "golden idol" ever worked out well in the word of God??? NOPE, not even once!
- Therefore by definition, we have eliminated the desire of Money as a way to take delight in the Lord.
- This doesn’t however mean that we should not be good stewards of our money.
-1 Timothy 5:8 - If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
- And here is another verse proving that the church was meant to run and operate on the generosity of believers. Which requires money/goods/time/whatever can be given. Malachi 3:10 - Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
So, God knows that we will need to operate and utilize the concept of money .......until the kingdom is perfected here on earth as it is in heaven. But until that time, we are called to be "Good stewards" of what He has blessed us with. Don't let it have your heart though, and don't let it be the "thing" that brings you happiness. That's where we fall into idolatry, and that's bad....mkay?
So, now that the big one is out of the way, what else does the world tell us should be the desire of our heart? Hmmm, ya, eros love. That lovey dovey "love".
2) The perfect spouse or Ultimate people approval - Ok, time to tell the truth...... How many of you are "happy" to watch that Batchelor junk on TV. There's lots of JUNK on TV, so I'm not just picking on these, but they are a special kind of awful.
What are they wanting to get into us? They want us focused on finding that Unicorn person. Is the desire of your heart to marry Prince Charming or your Fairy Tale Princess? Let me just interrupt your little fairy tale right there. Yes, there is a perfect mate designed for you by God. Will you ever meet this person and or marry them? I believe all of life’s decisions lead us either toward God’s PERFECT divine will for us or away from it. And all of life’s decision will steer you toward this person or away from it.
Do people settle for good instead of best here? SURE THEY DO! Many have! But that isn’t the point here. Some people are so focused on searching for that PERFECT person that their entire life is consumed by it. Look at our constant contact with each other thru social media and “Dating” apps such as e-harmony, and heaven forbid, farmers-only.com! Good grief, how many of those are there nowadays??? So, many people just want to be “approved of”, "accepted", "appreciated" and we think that if we find that person we will finally be seen, loved, accepted.
In reality we really should be looking for the approval of almighty GOD, and searching for His will, then we will be in line and ready for our Prince Charming or Fairy Tale Princess. Remember our verse.... Delight in __________? and then He will ________?
So, yes, even people can become idols. Heck, we even have American Idol, and Idol groups, and Idol this and Idol that. The enemy is not even being subtle about it anymore. Are you searching for another person to make you "Happy"?
- Galatians 1:10 - Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Pretty harsh criticism, but nonetheless straight out of the Bible and therefore TRUE!
So, lets bring this whole message around with just one more thing. And I think alot of us have a problem with this one from time to time.
3) Well I can’t be good enough to come to God until I do/stop doing _______! - Is the desire of your heart to stop some bad habit or to start doing something for God like reading your Bible or maybe forgiving someone you know you need to forgive. Are you happier living in that "sin", than you would be taking delight in God's BEST for you! Are you happier in that sin than you are in the presence of God in His house on Sunday morning????
Well I hate to break it to you, but you won’t be able to accomplish any of these do’s/don’t’s until you first “take delight in the Lord”.
YOU.... will never be enough on your own. YOU... will never be good enough. YOU will never be able to get out of the mess you are in by yourself.
I know you think that you can’t be “good enough”, or worthy to come to God until XXXXXX, but the reality is is that only God is capable of breaking the chains that are holding you back from accomplishing that feat already.
- Isaiah 9:4 - For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them . . .
- God promises the prophet Isaiah and the children of Israel that HE is able to take care of anything that binds them and/or scourges them.
So, we aren’t gonna keep dragging out every deep dark secret, but I think that through these examples, the point has been made. A verse from Matthew quickly sums up this thought process.
Matthew 6:21 - For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Where is your happiness? Do you find happiness in the things of this world, or the things above? Take time this week to realign those priorities. Set your sights on THINGS ABOVE!
Does your life today reflect that you have first “Taken Delight in the Lord”?
Or.....have you just settled into being happy with your "stuff" instead of the BEST that God wants for you?
I know its alot of question for a morning discussion. But I hope it makes you think about where you are in your walk with the Lord and maybe where that walk needs to be WITH THE LORD. And don’t think for a second that I didn’t have to take a long hard look at my own “happinesses” and if I am “Taking Delight in the Lord” first! Remember that every pastor, preacher, teacher, whatever you wanna call em, has to first be taught the lesson themselves from the Holy Spirit! Believe me, its alot easier coming from me than it is coming straight from God.
This week, take time to reflect on your Happy Place. I hope its not Disney World. I know its fun, but its not the ideal Happy Place.
Think about WHAT/WHO makes you happy?
Are you striving for happiness through the Lord or on your own?
If you need to come today and get those priorities in line, then there is no better place than here at the foot of the cross. I will come pray with you, others will come pray with you. Let today be the day that you truly set your DELIGHT in the LORD, and THEN........THEN THEN THEN THEN THEN......He will give you the desires of your Heart!
Let us Pray!
