Happy Are Those

            Tree planted by the streams at Riverfront Park

(Psalm 1, Matthew 5:1-12)

9/14/25 Stetson Memorial UMC

  

                          WOW

Denise’s Psalm

Dear families of Stetson Memorial UMC, last Sunday, we heard God’s beautiful psalm through Denise’s testimony. Even though her life has not been easy, even through years when God seemed silent and absent, we saw that God is not dead! God is alive among us—especially when the whole congregation came forward to pray for Denise. I felt the presence of God. I didn’t expect the empty pews when I asked people to pray with her. That’s our church. That’s our church’s psalm—a song dedicated to God, written by God, and sung by God. Thankfully, Denise shared her testimony with the Combined Women’s Bible Study in WOW (Women Of Witness) last Tuesday. We all cried, held each other’s hands, and blessed Denise’s life together. Her living testimony has spread to those who can’t sing a song, and to those who need to hear this powerful and beautiful living psalm. Praise the Lord!

 

Sharon’s Psalm

Today, we hear another beautiful psalm through Sharon’s life. When she shared her testimony in the nursing home last Friday, we were all moved to tears. We cannot imagine her hardship under her stepfather’s violence and abuse. We cannot describe her forgiveness of her stepfather without God’s love. At the end of her testimony, she smiled and said, “I don’t live in the past anymore. When I forgave him and prayed for him at his graveside, finally I could start to live in the present and the future.” Her smile wiped away our tears. We all know how happy she is.

 

What is True Joy?

Are we happy like her? Many people’s purpose in life is happiness. They think they can earn happiness through lots of money, a good job, more knowledge, a fancy house, or good looks. However, C. S. Lewis saw true joy as a profound and deep longing for God, different from worldly happiness. Henri Nouwen believed that true joy is not found in the absence of suffering, but in a vulnerable relationship with God and community, even in the midst of suffering. John Piper teaches that true joy is a deep and lasting satisfaction found only in God, and that pursuing this joy is the ultimate purpose of life.

 

Scriptures on Happiness

We can find the meaning of “True Joy” in today’s scriptures. Psalm 1 says:

“Happy is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

The Bible says that no matter what situation we are in, if we run into the Bible, meditate on it day and night, and take delight in God’s word, we are the people who are happy! Every day I am so happy to start the day with God’s words. No matter how many schedules I have, no matter what my condition is, I am happy to start the day by reading Psalm and the Bible. I am happy to run into God’s arms through prayer, especially prayers for our four beloved church families. I am happy to confess that today is not mine, but Yours. All these ministries are not ours, but Yours.

Matthew 5 says: “Happy are the poor in spirit, who mourn, who are meek, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are merciful, who are pure in heart, who are peacemakers, and even those who are persecuted because of righteousness.”

Even though my life is not perfect, if I need God, I am the happy one who is poor in spirit. Even though my life is tough, if I seek God’s justice and love, I am the happy one who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

 

What “Happy Are Those” Means for Us

In the Psalms, many verses start with “Happy are those…” All these verses point to a deep relationship with God, not how good our appearance is, or how much we own. I wrote a poem using all the psalms that talk about “Happy are those…” right after a meaningful family worship during vacation. There was something we needed to deal with, but it was covered. When God opened wounds, it was painful. Arguments, hatred, sadness, and all kinds of sins were revealed. That’s who we were. However, all seven broken people came to the Lord with deep conversation and prayer; we became one again. Each person became closer to God, and all family members became closer to each other and closer to God. The next day, we went to Story Land. We found the Chinese words “福家” meaning “Happy Family.” I felt that God’s calling was for all of us. I would like to share my poem about it with you today.

 

 

 

Happy Are Those – A Family in the Lord

Youngeun Joyce Kang

Happy are those
not the ones who only speak their own thoughts,
but those who meditate on the Word of the Lord day and night. (Psalm 1:1–2; 112:1; 119:1–2)

Happy are those
not the ones without troubles,
but those who take refuge in the Lord. (Psalm 2:12; 34:8)

Happy are those
not the ones who go anywhere they wish,
but those who walk with the Lord. (Psalm 84:4–5; 128:1–2; 144:15; 146:5)

Happy are those
not the ones who walk fast and alone,
but those who walk together in unity in the Lord. (Psalm 133:1)

Happy are those
not the ones who are perfect and without fault,
but those whose sins the Lord covers. (Psalm 32:1–2; 127:5)

Happy are those
not the ones who lift themselves up,
but those who praise God. (Psalm 89:5)

Happy are those
not the ones who live by the ways of the world,
but those who keep justice and follow the Lord. (Psalm 106:3)

And so though we are a family with many faults,
Though we are unfinished people,
Because the Lord is with us, we are a happy family.

 

  

A Prayer & Reflection from the Roulin Story

Van Gogh painted approximately 26 portraits of the Roulin family, a series created in Arles between 1888 and 1889. The collection includes the postman, Joseph Roulin, his wife, Augustine, and their three children. A loyal friend to Van Gogh, Joseph visited him during his mental health crises and corresponded with his brother, Theo.

When we saw Van Gogh’s Roulin family paintings, I prayed that our church family could be like the Roulin family: caring for those who have a beautiful song in their heart, but the world has not heard it yet. Did Vincent ever imagine that his songs of suffering would be loved by so many, for so long? Just like the Roulins stayed by Van Gogh, helping him write his “psalms” of art, we want to stand beside people who carry God’s song but haven’t yet sung it publicly.

 

Living the Psalm & Singing Along

In this world full of pain and suffering, I want to sing together with people who pursue true joy. Sometimes we don’t even know how to pray or how to sing. In those times, we read Psalms together, listen, and let their prayers teach us.

Last week, when Katie was very sick, Audrey prayed. And when she didn’t know how to express that deep prayer, she put my prayer on her social media, and others joined in prayer. I believe that is exactly why we read Psalms. That is why we pray with Psalms. Through the prayers of the psalmists, may we also receive their spirituality. May our coming time together be precious in that way.

 

Closing: A Song of Happiness

Finally, I want to share with you some lyrics from a favorite hymn (praise song) called

“Happiness” by Kyungmin Son

Happiness is to live a pure life, though it may not be luxurious
Happiness is to be thankful, though I may not have a lot
Yet I have much to share, though it may seem so small
Oh, happiness, this I have, Happiness with joy
I can go to Jesus in prayer, though my tears may fall down
I can endure many wrongs, and I know it’s for the Lord
In this short and temporal world, happiness is to live out God’s will
Oh happiness, this I have, Happiness with joy, Happiness, this is my Happiness with joy
The awesome present of my God, the world can never know
Happiness, this is my Happiness with joy knowing that I’m a child of God,
No one can deny Happiness, it’s my true happiness.

May we all be those “happy ones” in God’s sight, not because of what we own or how we look, but because of who we are in relationship with God, and how we love others. Amen.