THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

 

Thursday, July 6, 2023

 

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

 

Ps 34:14

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

 

John 13:17

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

 

          The United States Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, and then edited by the Committee of Five, which consisted of Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. It was then further edited and adopted by the Committee of the Whole of the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The second paragraph of the first article in the Declaration of Independence contains the phrase "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".

 

          Jefferson's "original Rough draught" is on exhibit in the Library of Congress. This version was used by Julian Boyd to create a transcript of Jefferson's draft, which reads:

 

We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness; ...

 

          You will not find the word pursuit in the New Testament. The Old Testament uses the word pursue twenty-nine times and generally it is used to denote violent or military pursuit. The psalmist uses the word pursue to suggest that peace is a worthy pursuit.

 

          It is recorded that Jesus used the word happy only once. It is used in other places by James and Peter among others. One of the seemingly contradictory comments comes from James who said, “we count them happy which endure.” If you read James 5:11 you learn that James was saying that the suffering believer will learn that Jesus is “very pitiful, and full of tender mercy.”

 

          Happiness is a result of pleasant circumstances and so, the focus is external. Joy is the result of right relationships, especially a right relationship with Jesus. It is internal and sits apart from even troubling circumstances. It is a choice.

 

          When a bully government denies and restricts rights that are “sacred and undeniable,” it finds itself in opposition to its own constituents and to God.

 

Prov 29:2

2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. KJV

 

Lam 5:20

21 Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. AMEN