THINK TOGETHER
What makes you happy? What is something that you love to do?
READ TOGETHER
The psalms are a collection of poems or songs that the Hebrews would sing in worship of God. The psalms are theological. Can you say theological? That means that they teach us about God. And they teach us about us. And about how God wants us to live.
One of the most important things we can learn about God is that he wants us to be happy. He wants us to experience pleasure and joy. Do you know what the word pleasure means? Pleasure is that feeling you get when something makes you happy or excited. Do you think that God is happy? Does he experience pleasure?
Sometimes people think that God just wants to spoil all our fun. That he is cranky all the time or boring. And yes, God will get sad and angry when we sin. But even his sadness and anger over our sin is because he really wants us to be happy, and sin never truly makes us happy. Loving others makes us happy. Sharing with others makes us happy. And knowing God makes us happy.
And God wants us to be happy. Listen to how Psalm 16 ends:
Psalm 16:11. You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
So what brings you pleasure? Games? A favorite food? Sports? Music? Being with friends? Playing outside? Jokes? A favorite toy? Your family? There is no end to the things in this life that God has given to us to make us happy. And that is great news. The Bible says that God has made every good thing so that we can enjoy them all.
But mostly God wants us to enjoy him. Look at Psalm 16:11 again. It says that “in God’s presence there is fullness of joy.”
Now, does this mean we can only be happy if we go to heaven and see God?
Well, it does mean that one day we will have the greatest of all joys and pleasures ever – seeing God and seeing Jesus! One day all our sadness, and sorrow, and frustration will be gone, and all our tears will be wiped away by God, and we will smile and be happy forever. Never bored. Never angry. Never frustrated again.
But in the mean time, right now, can we find pleasure and happiness in God’s presence? Yes! King David calls it “the path of life” in Psalm 16:11. Knowing God and letting God make you happy is the whole reason we are alive.
But how do we do this? How do we find pleasure in God? First, we must let all the little things that bring us happiness remind us of God. If a game, or a food, or a sport, or a TV show makes you happy, remember that God is the one who made those things possible. You aren’t just having fun because of that thing, you are having fun because of God. So say thank you to God. Enjoy God while you enjoy all the things he has made. Let all the fun little things remind you of how awesome God is. King David called this “setting the Lord always before me.”
Psalm 16:8-9. I have set the LORD always before me…Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices.
But mostly remember how much God finds pleasure in you. Never forget how much God loves you and how much you make him happy. How do we know that we make God happy? Because Jesus came to earth and died for our sins just to save us and take us to be with him forever. And while we wait for that day, never forget that, because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit living inside of us, we are in God’s joy filled presence ALL THE TIME! So have fun. Enjoy the day and all the things that God has made for you. But enjoy God the most.
Because of Jesus now God enjoys us because our sins are all gone.
With Jesus we can enjoy all the things God has given us each day.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Plan a “Fun Day” as a family where everyone gets to choose one thing to do that makes them happy. Talk each other what having fun together teaches us about God.
OR
Go around and have everyone name one thing that brings them pleasure/joy. Talk about how that thing can remind us of God or heaven.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
I make you happy and you make me happy. Help me enjoy all the things you have given to me, but mostly help me enjoy you.
Amen.
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