Nov
19
Written by:
Bob Flynn
11/19/2009 7:00 AM
BLISS, n. The highest degree of happiness; blessedness; felicity; used of felicity in general, when of an exalted kind, but appropriately, of heavenly joys. (Noah Webster)
Bliss
BLISS, n. The highest degree of happiness; blessedness; felicity; used of felicity in general, when of an exalted kind, but appropriately, of heavenly joys. (Noah Webster)
Virtue — Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. In this sense, virtue may be, and in many instances must be, distinguished from religion. The practice of moral duties merely from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation, is virtue, as distinct from religion. The practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue and religion. In this sense it is true, that virtue only makes our bliss below. Virtue is nothing but voluntary obedience to truth. (Noah Webster)
It would be hard to see the origin of bliss as the begrudging act of moral duty or the abstaining from vice out of compulsion. Is that not the daily burden of those in the public arena of today? A place where reputation may be besmirched by one offhanded comment caught on camera.
If we, as believers, are conforming our lives to a cultural standard of morals, as opposed to being conformed to the image of the Son, then we could be considered greased rather than anointed! We attempt to relieve the friction between our true selves and the persona we desire for public view by a self-imposed restraint upon the gorgon. This is not heaven but hell!
The virtues that flow from the Holy One of Israel have no friction but rather emanate from the threshold of the temple and course passed the right-hand of the altar and then out the eastern gate until, out of the fullness of the Creator's love, a mighty river of blessing flows through the desert of life healing everything it touches. The heavenly virtues then are by nature experiential! You have the experience of this river or you don't. No amount of hoping will move you from parched sand to abundant buoyancy. Only Him who owns the river may give leave for its travel. Only Him who died and rose again for the redemption of the world can give life to a valley of dry bones. This "highest degree of happiness," or virtue, has a name, Messiah, Emmanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Jesus (I AM your salvation). From where does this "sincere love to God" come? Not from self, but from the river! Is felicity in your life in enough grand abundance to float your boat?
Copyright ©2009 Robert Flynn