Key Passage: Psalm 128: 1-4

Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD. (RSV)

Many people in the world have wrong impressions of what constitutes happy living. As a young man who did not know God, I thought that the happiest people were those that were always partying, swinging around with sex partners, drinking and smoking, and wallowing in wanton pleasure. I envied such people until I later realized that many of them were not truly happy. Their enjoyments were always short-lived. Many times after such parties, pleasure and fun, there were hangovers of disappointments, dissatisfaction and grief. The people soon realized that their problems were still with them and their pockets were empty.

There is no better life to live than to live with the fear of God. A person who fears God honors and reveres Him in his heart and applies his life to always love and obey Him. He seeks to know God better in order to “walk in His ways”. He meditates on His word so he could always please Him. He humbles himself to God to let God lead and direct him. Such people are greatly loved, favored and cherished by God and He pours overflowing blessings to them.

One can only be truly happy if all his needs for life and for future are taken care of. That is the assurance that God gives to all that fear Him. He will bless them and their household and prosper them, not only in this life, but also in eternity.

To be blessed is to be empowered to prosper and succeed in ones endeavor. That is what it takes to be happy: when I know that God is with me and will make a way for me; when I am assured that “it shall be well with me” no matter what the devil throws at me; and when I am assured that God will take care of my household and my offspring up to many generations.

O how wonderful it is to fear the Lord.

Pray: Lord, fill me with the Spirit of the fear of the Lord (Is 11: 2); let joy and happiness overflow in my life and I my household.

Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi