Musick-al Note # 275
The world seeks happiness as the thirsty person seeks water or the hungry man seeks food. The wild craze of satisfying of the passions, the vain pursuit of emotional thrills and an ever- increasing following of sports give ample indications that people are seeking happiness in any place and in any way that the world offers. Yet the psychiatrist couch, the emotionally disturbed criminal, the senseless murder with bomb or gun, the increasing suicide rate all declare that people are not finding happiness and contentment. Even in the church, we find some who are frustrated, disappointed and fail to find the happiness and the true joy and peace they need.
The world seeks pleasure in her ways and cannot find lasting pleasure because worldly pleasure is transitory. The church seemingly has failed, but only because those members seek joy and happiness in the wrong places. Some Christians seem to have the idea that if we can GET and OBTAIN, we will have pleasure, happiness and peace. Jesus taught many things that seem to be contradictory. He said, “If we seek to save our life, we will lose it, and if we lose our life for His sake we would find it.” It is in the giving of self that you really obtain life. It is the same in joy, happiness, cheerfulness and peace, in giving these we find that we obtain them. If we continue in the pursuit of happiness by obtaining things to buy, to get, to have, happiness will elude us. Perhaps we could reverse things by giving, by seeking to enrich others, in making them happy at our expense and thus obtain that which is constantly eluding our grasp. Give a little cheer this coming year. Help another, share joy with someone who cannot repay or return to gift. Give real joy to someone this coming year – give the greatest gift of all – the message of the Savior. Never will we have a greater thing to share with others than the message of freedom from sin in Christ Jesus. Great joy can be yours this coming year by obeying Christ and sharing Him.
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 