The Happiest Place On Earth

The Happiest Place on Earth:

While I was on vacation this past week with my daughter, I had time to really think about something. Disney in all it’s splendor, claims that it is the “Happiest Place on Earth”. So, I began to think, “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? 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.

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. 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. 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 we will 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.

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.

- 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.

2) The perfect spouse or Ultimate people approval - 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! So, many people just want to be “approved of” nowadays. 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.

- 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!

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. 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”. I know you think that you can’t be “good enough” until X, 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.