Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,

The other day I went to see the doctor and the receptionist was happy. She greeted me with a smile and a cheerful attitude. She even laughed at one of my jokes… and she was helpful, making sure I was headed in the right direction. It’s always nice to meet happy people. Christians should be the happiest of people.

Psalm 32 speaks about being happy. It begins, “ Happy the man whose offense is forgiven, whose sin is requited. O happy the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no guile.” (Ps. 32:1-2) 

So fundamentally we should be happy because our sins are forgiven and we know it. If our sins are forgiven , we have no reason to fear or be unhappy….. we’re on our way to heaven ……rich or poor, healthy or sick, we’re on the right path.Why should I be sad? 

The psalm develops the theme a bit more saying, when I acknowledged my sin and confessed my offense to the Lord, when I acknowledged my sin, when I no longer kept my sin a secret, when the Lord forgave the guilt of my sin, then I became happy. Prior to that I was miserable….when I kept my sin a secret, I groaned all the day and night, my strength dried up. It’s true. Unrepentant sin makes us miserable; we can’t get away from it. When I repent of my sins, I’m happy. 

I often note how the confession line is a bit glum as everyone waits to confess their sins, but then the forgiven penitent almost dances out of the confessional with a happy face….. “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay…. My,oh, my, what a wonderful day”….plenty of sunshine headin’ my way……Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!”  My sins are forgiven…. Halleluiah.

So let’s examine our self each day. Am I happy? Is sin clinging too close to me?  Hebrews 12 reminds us to “lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us”. (Heb. 12:1) 

And as Psalm 32 ends, “ Many are the pangs of the wicked; but steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Ps. 32:10-11)  Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. Wow, that is really good news.