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Happiness in Humanity
randal, Monday, 16. February 2004, 16:18
by J. Randal Matheny
"We cannot seek happiness in things exterior to ourselves, so we must seek it within humanity." So said the psychiatrist Saturday night as he sat across the table from me at the birthday party of a mutual friend's daughter. How sad he must be, I thought, looking for the wrong thing, and in the wrong place. How can one believe in the evolution of humanity after the wars and suffering of the 20th century? This man, like so many others, is clinging to a myth in the face of overwhelming evidence of humanity's growing evil. But, like the psychiatrist, we are tempted to cut God out of the picture and paste it over with human hopes and helps. With man we can count dollars and (war)heads. With man we can negotiate, barter, dicker, and deceive. With man we manage to maintain a semblance of control. With man, we can measure ourselves and still find a scale that puts us on top. Not with God. With God, faith pokes out the eye. With God, the powerless wins. With God, no counter-offer turns his head. With God, our finger on the button withers before his sovereignty. With God, all scales to measure worth drop to zero. Man has nothing to offer. "Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?" (Isa. 2:22, ESV). He's a consumer, not a supplier, and a bad one at that. He confuses right and wrong, miscalculates distances, and generally leaves a mess behind him. But not God. Moses had it right in his last words to Israel: "Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph!" (Deut. 33:29). The search for happiness is selfish and thus can never find its fulfilment. Neither can I make myself happy, for what little knowledge I have of myself leaves me discontent with my failures and shortcomings. Only when I search for God and find in him the answer to my needs will I discover that which I gave up seeking. But now it is the happiness of possessing God, or rather, being possessed by God. As one psalmist knew, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord that to trust in man" (Psa. 118:8, ESV). But my psychiatrist friend won't admit it. The question is, will I? |
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Update on FMag
Forthright Magazine continues, more dynamic than ever! We have groups created for FMag on Facebook and the Churches of Christ Network. Announcement blog is up and going on Preachers Files. Email lists about FMag and FPress are available both on Yahoo and GoogleGroups. And, to top it all off, we're twittering for both on Twitter.com. by randal @ 2009.01.20, 11:55 Titanic and How We Leave the Lord
Just wanted to thank Richard Mansel for all his articles. I used this one in my sermon today at church. I'm not a regular preacher, but we are taking turns until we get a new one. Thanks again. A Christian Friend, Ron Reynolds by ronreynolds @ 2008.04.27, 21:18 Persuaded Without Knowledge
Yesterday my cousin died,she and I were taught the gospel,neither of us obeyed at that time,she and I wer both baptist,we found comfort in the once saved always saved and we both didn't undestand Paul being so chavinistic,that was back in the mid 80's,Years latter I was taught the Gospel again and I obeyed but she never did.One of the scrptures that influenced my decesion was Ephesians 5:19,For years music was my spirit uplifter more so than preaching,and denominations know ... more ... by helenh205 @ 2005.10.13, 12:51 How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:24--47 How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless Yes, it is popular to say that we are not supposed to judge, but the truth is we all make judgments about many things daily. Otherwise, we would never succeed in life. The real question is what is our guide for judging. Why can we not simply follow the example of our Master and Lord? He said, 30 ... more ... by diane amberg @ 2005.05.18, 04:08 Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name?
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Chronicles 1--3 Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? Think on the manner, in which the Book of First Chronicles begins, 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh (1 Chr. 1:1). In this way begins the longest genealogy in the Bible. The names continue to the end of the ninth chapter! Were these just names? Adam; who is he? You know there is more in the Bible than the mere ... more ... by diane amberg @ 2005.05.18, 04:05 ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:1--23 Jesus healed a man. Praise God! However, Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Uh oh. Some people were ready to kill Jesus for this perceived violation of the Sabbath Law. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath (Joh. 5:16). Jesus did a good thing. Yet, people criticized Him severely for it. And ... more ... by diane amberg @ 2005.05.18, 04:03 They Were His Servants
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 24 and 25 They Were His Servants As the writer of Second Kings explains whom the Lord sent against Judah, the writer said that this was 2 ...according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken by His servants the prophets (2 Kin. 24:2). Those great men we have honored for centuries were nothing more than servants of the Lord God. What does that make ... more ... by diane amberg @ 2005.05.18, 04:01 ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 4:30--54 The disciples went into a town to buy food while Jesus remained out of the town. There He engaged a woman in conversation. When the disciples returned, here is what happened, 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know" (Joh. 4:31, 32). As you read the Gospel ... more ... by diane amberg @ 2005.05.18, 03:59
last updated: 2009.01.20, 11:55
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