The Happy God

1 TIMOTHY 1:11 NKJ
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which
was committed to my trust.

I knew that one meaning of "blessed" was happy. The Greek word
is "makarios" (Strong's #3107) and 5 times the KJV translates
it as "happy."

But I had never thought about how this word is used in First
Timothy 1:11 to describe God.

A few translations even call Him "the Happy God."

(Concordant Literal Version) in accord with the evangel of the
glory of the happy God, with which I was entrusted."

(Rotherham) According to the glad-message of the glory of the
happy God, with which entrusted am, I.

I had usually thought of God being serious and somber, not
being happy and laughing.

After all, there are a lot of problems in the world. It seemed
reasonable for a God who knows every problem -- even when a
sparrow falls, or a hair is lost from a head -- to be quite
serious.

So I have not pictured God as someone who would have much joy
or laugh much.

Certainly God is not uncaring, or not touched by our problems.
Yet it seems that He walks in faith and rejoices because He
knows He will eventually solve every problem and make
everything right. Therefore He is not burdened down with
sadness and woe, but instead is able to laugh and rejoice.

I don't think God would tell us to do what He does not do
Himself. And Scripture repeatedly tells us to rejoice.

Romans 14:17 says God's Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and
joy. For joy to describe God's Kingdom, it must be a happy
place.

PSALM 16:11 NKJ
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is
fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

If there is fullness of joy in God's presence, it must be a
happy place. If being in God's presence is a happy place, then
He must be a happy God.

We are His people and we are to become more and more like Him.
It is God's plan that we be conformed to the exact image of
Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). So we should become more happy as
we grow spiritually. God's people should be happy people!

Circumstances will not always be favorable. But we can walk by
faith and laugh and rejoice with God, knowing He is working
things out.

We do find a glimpse of the Happy God in the Psalms where three
times it mentions Him laughing.

PSALM 2:4 NKJ
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold
them in derision.

PSALM 37:13 NKJ
13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.

PSALM 59:8 NKJ
8 But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the
nations in derision.

ZEPHANIAH 3:17 NKJ
17 The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with
His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah tells us God rejoices over His people with joy and
gladness, even rejoicing with singing!

SAY THIS: I serve a happy God so I should be a happy person.