Over the past few weeks of study in God’s word I have been in Psalms. Starting in chapter 1 about two weeks before my move to Mill Valley, it has continued since. I don’t know how long God will have me here, but going one by one has produced an extremely sweet and revealing time with the Lord. It has been completely fascinating and mind blowing to see how each one has been so timely and applicable to my life. I’m using the NRSV translation since that is just what I happen to have at the time that I began the book.
As I began the first chapter, I was in a time of preparation for my move. I knew that God was calling me to Mill Valley, the Bay area, and for the most part, San Francisco. Soooo basically God was calling me to probably the most unreached area of the country. A land where wickedness is not only tolerated but is, in a way, encouraged. I became concerned with how I was going to manage this change and influence on my own walk and in my work with non-believers. I did/do not wish to be tempted to fall into sin. Others in my life also had the same concern for me and while being prayed for, the Holy Spirit spoke a warning and direction for me to “Guard My Heart.” This provoked me to seek how He would help me keep my focus on Him, while being surround by all that would be out there for the enemy to use to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
soooo, Thus saith the Lord …
1 “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.”
Good and extremely positive adjectives are use to describe the life and attitude of those who choose God’s way and His commands. Words so positive that I dare you to find anyone in the world who would not want them said about their life. These ways do not include wickedness, sin, and scoffing (to mock or scorn). And how do we choose God’s way and His commands? How do we stay focused and know them? We meditate on them Day and Night. We focus on them, specifically. Wikipedia says meditation, “refers to any of a family of practices in which the practitioner trains his or her mind or self-induces a mode of consciousness in order to realize some benefit.” So basically purposefully committed focus!
3 “They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.”
As water nourishes trees, so the Word of God nourishes those planted in it. God’s commands yield fruit; this is not just an idea, it is a promise of God. God cannot, not keep His promises. God fulfilling His promises to us is His character and He does not/can not act outside His character. In taking note of God’s promises, we gain insight on God’s character and how He has said He will respond to us in our relationship with Him. Continuing… these trees, aka those that are planted in the Word (God’s commands), more so planted in Christ since Christ is the Word and Living (John 1:1-3 & John 4:13-14), will yield fruit, a promise with two conditions. First, and already stated, they are planted in the commands/Word of God and second, “in its season.” God has His own timing in place as to when that fruit will be yielded. This is an extremely encouraging promise that God is in control and will produce fruit but “in its season. “ Sadly you may not be there to see it. You may not still be in that person’s life that you have spent hours and hours talking to and on your knees for. Or that ministry that you have exhausted yourself in, well you may not see hundreds come to know Christ. But you being planted in God’s Word will produce fruit. I have seen this so in my own life. God has yielded fruit in me but not until it was just the right time for Him to do so. Until that time came, others planted in God’s commands and word surrounded me and remained faithful in believing God would yield the fruit of my life “in its season.” God's word nourishes us. It sustains us. Because of it we will no wither (another promise). And then BAM, the end of verse 3, how AWESOME a promise, "ALL they do, they prosper" Again I ask, who doesn't want that said about their life? No one!
Verses 3 and 4 are contrasted to one another. Verse 3 shows the good in delighting in the law of the Lord, and meditating on it day and night. Verse 4 gives insight to the life of those that do not.
4 “The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”
The wicked are not like strongly rooted trees, instead they are easily moved like chaff, just by the blowing of the wind. This is what happens when Followers of Christ fail to know what the Word of God really says. When they fail to be truly rooted. They are easily deceived and can be moved with the slightest nudge.
5 “Therefore (because of verse 4) the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”
God watches over the righteous and it is by His watchful eye that they are made to be firm, promise!
From these passages we can gather 2 options for mankind:
God’s way (Law= or in our case the New Covenant through Christ Luke 22:20) or Way of the Wicked=everything else
Easier put… God’s way = Life… Way of the wicked = death (v.6b “but the way of the wicked will perish)
So be a tree, rooted in the Word and live a happy and delighted life and in ALL YOU DO PROSPER!
O, Thank You God for Your Word and understanding through Your Spirit!!!
That's a good word!
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