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5 July 2008
Word on the Web
Meditations for Life's Journey
From the Wise Traveller Series
Today's Word on the Web follows a different format to our normal pattern and uses material from the "Wise Traveller" series of meditations for life's journey on happiness. The material is copyright Scripture Union and used by permission.
Wise Traveller
Giver
Jesus and the apostles came down from the mountain, and he stood on level ground. A large group of his followers was there, as well as many people from all around Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast cities of Tyre and Sidon. They all came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed of their sicknesses, and he healed those who were troubled by evil spirits. All the people were trying to touch Jesus, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Jesus looked at his followers and said,
"You people who are poor are happy,
because the kingdom of God belongs to you.
You people who are now hungry are happy,
because you will be satisfied.
You people who are now crying are happy,
because you will laugh with joy.
"People will hate you, shut you out, insult you, and say you are evil because you follow the Son of Man. But when they do, you will be happy. Be full of joy at that time, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.
"But how terrible it will be for you who are rich,
because you have had your easy life.
How terrible it will be for you who are full now,
because you will be hungry.
How terrible it will be for you who are laughing now,
because you will be sad and cry.
"How terrible when everyone says only good things about you, because their ancestors said the same things about the false prophets.
Luke 6:20-26 (The Bible)
Happiness is given. My happiest moment this week came late on Saturday afternoon when, on the edge of my seat at the football ground, I saw the ball fly into the roof of the opponents' net, for the second time in a minute, and impending defeat turned into dramatic victory. The happiness that sport can bring is often fleeting, so it's essential to savour it while it lasts.
Happiness is given. It's not earned, it's not bought, it's given to use. I didn't create the happiness I felt on Saturday. It came to me through a footballer's skill. On a deeper level, friendship, love - these things bring happiness because of the way others act and feel towards us, what they give us.
When we're good at something, so often we call it a gift, or other people will say we're gifted. That is at the root of our happiness about our good work. Many people talk about the gift of a newborn baby; many people precede breakfast by consciously rejoicing at the gift of a new day.
If you believe happiness is given, then you can believe in the possibility of being surprised. Gifts surprise us. And if you believe happiness is given, then you can believe in the possibility that something new will come. There's always a chance that sometime, possibly when you least expect it, something new will bring a change.
The events of recent history bear this out. No one predicted that in 1989 people from East and West Berlin would be happily pulling the wall down together; no one foresaw that in the nineties South African blacks would be happily queuing to cast the first votes in their history.
Happiness is surprising; happiness is on its way - because happiness is given. So much in life can be taken as a gift, if our hearts and minds are tuned in to the giver.
John Davies w
Word on the Web
Meditations for Life's Journey
From the Wise Traveller Series
Today's Word on the Web follows a different format to our normal pattern and uses material from the "Wise Traveller" series of meditations for life's journey on happiness. The material is copyright Scripture Union and used by permission.
Wise Traveller
Giver
Jesus and the apostles came down from the mountain, and he stood on level ground. A large group of his followers was there, as well as many people from all around Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast cities of Tyre and Sidon. They all came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed of their sicknesses, and he healed those who were troubled by evil spirits. All the people were trying to touch Jesus, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Jesus looked at his followers and said,
"You people who are poor are happy,
because the kingdom of God belongs to you.
You people who are now hungry are happy,
because you will be satisfied.
You people who are now crying are happy,
because you will laugh with joy.
"People will hate you, shut you out, insult you, and say you are evil because you follow the Son of Man. But when they do, you will be happy. Be full of joy at that time, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.
"But how terrible it will be for you who are rich,
because you have had your easy life.
How terrible it will be for you who are full now,
because you will be hungry.
How terrible it will be for you who are laughing now,
because you will be sad and cry.
"How terrible when everyone says only good things about you, because their ancestors said the same things about the false prophets.
Luke 6:20-26 (The Bible)
Happiness is given. My happiest moment this week came late on Saturday afternoon when, on the edge of my seat at the football ground, I saw the ball fly into the roof of the opponents' net, for the second time in a minute, and impending defeat turned into dramatic victory. The happiness that sport can bring is often fleeting, so it's essential to savour it while it lasts.
Happiness is given. It's not earned, it's not bought, it's given to use. I didn't create the happiness I felt on Saturday. It came to me through a footballer's skill. On a deeper level, friendship, love - these things bring happiness because of the way others act and feel towards us, what they give us.
When we're good at something, so often we call it a gift, or other people will say we're gifted. That is at the root of our happiness about our good work. Many people talk about the gift of a newborn baby; many people precede breakfast by consciously rejoicing at the gift of a new day.
If you believe happiness is given, then you can believe in the possibility of being surprised. Gifts surprise us. And if you believe happiness is given, then you can believe in the possibility that something new will come. There's always a chance that sometime, possibly when you least expect it, something new will bring a change.
The events of recent history bear this out. No one predicted that in 1989 people from East and West Berlin would be happily pulling the wall down together; no one foresaw that in the nineties South African blacks would be happily queuing to cast the first votes in their history.
Happiness is surprising; happiness is on its way - because happiness is given. So much in life can be taken as a gift, if our hearts and minds are tuned in to the giver.
John Davies w
