“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” Prov. 17:22 (KJV) “

A cheerful disposition is good for your health.” (MSG)

Every time my spiritual equilibrium needs to be rescued from caving, a generous dose of this remarkable antidote from “the wisest man who ever lived” will definitely do it:

“BE HAPPY…” exhorts – of all people – the Apostle Paul, to the Thessalonians. (1 5:16)

I lost count long ago of the number of times I’ve trumpeted that one to MYSELF, my family, friends and any Grinch crossing my path. You already know what psychologists say about the benefits of laughter – endorphins and all that sort of thing.

Not to disregard the increasingly heart-wrenching condition of Planet Earth, I must say I really do weep hard for the human race, mostly in intercessory prayer. I use “mostly,” to keep in mind that Solomon also said there’s a time to weep. We just need to know when it’s really called for – and when it’s not.

How about this one? The Psalmist tells us that God laughed at Satan, sending demons in such a tailspin that they turned on each other. (2:4). Our young prayer warriors love that one. After an intense “session” dealing with Satan’s onslaught on their generation, they’ll often top it off exclaiming, “Ha, ha, devil!” (I’ve borrowed that one more than once.)

Wikianswers tells me there are 248 references to the word “REJOICE” in the KJV Bible. (Only a handful refer to “rejoice not…”) “JOY”, “JOYFUL”, “JOYFULNESS”, 214 times. “HAPPY”, “GLAD”, “GLADNESS”, etc., approximately 102 times.

For any of you reading this who may be going through a grief or sorrow, perhaps you might just be able to rejoice that your name is written in Heaven. We can all do that!

I particularly relate to Mr. Peterson’s, The Message, translation, that a cheerful disposition is good for one’s health. So, just imagine the positive contagion of that kind of joy when it’s spread around! God knows it’s needed…

…for such an (opportune) time as this,

Esther