Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, January 19, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Plenty of people who love God do not eat the fruit of the labor of their hands, generally because social and economic systems keep them impoverished and dependent. Poverty doesn’t preclude happiness, but it makes it much harder to come by. This isn’t necessarily to make you feel guilty for whatever abundance you enjoy, but to keep you mindful of the needs of others.
We are called to be in awe of God and to walk in God’s ways. That means, in part, that we take action on behalf of those who are poor and oppressed. And we find, when we are committed to that work, we do experience happiness. When we lift others, we, ourselves, are lifted.
What does it mean to me to walk in God’s ways? How has it led to happiness?