Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or
stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3
Psalm One is a very well known Psalm, at least it has been a topic for Sermons, and Conferences of which it has blessed me to hear and be a part.
I heard a sermon on the topic not too long ago that put these Bible Verses into perspective. That message drove home the point that none of us can delight in God’s Word unless God has given us grace to do so.
Not one of us can walk in step with God unless God has given us the grace to do so was a point that was central.
What a great focus. None of us should pat ourselves on the back for being so “good.” Any good in us is from our great God and His grace given to us.
That sermon put the focus where it belonged on God and not man.
So often in our piety we become puffed up as if we have accomplished all.
Not so. But for the grace of God, there go I.
So I walked away that day humbled because for a long time I struggled thinking the onus was on us.
Yes, we do have a responsibility to walk the walk, and talk the talk, but none of that is possible without God’s grace helping us first.
And that is where we can all get lost sometimes. We think we are good apart from God’s grace.
We sometimes think we have done enough, worked hard enough, or memorized enough of God’s Word to earn a badge.
Not so. By grace alone.
Naturally, we want to do good works out of gratitude for this grace.
And even more naturally, the more we read God’s Word, and meditate on His Law, commonly known as God’s Word or the Bible, the more we want to read it.
What has become for me, a favourite part of the above Bible Verses from Psalm One is “whose delight is in the law of the Lord.”
I can honestly say by God’s grace alone, I love God’s Word so much I long to meditate on it, share it with others and write about it.
The verse from Jeremiah 15:16 resonates with me and I pray it does for you also, dear reader:
“Your words were found, and I ate them, And your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.”
As believers who love God’s Word and we long to meditate on it more and more. We make it our goal to share it with others. We long to be fruitful in God’s work.
That goes for men and women and children. There are no boundaries on who can open God’s Word and meditate on it.
Does that sound strange to you? Read on dear one and you will find one day that this is true for you as well.
To conclude today another beautiful aspect of Psalm, One verses one to three is:
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:3)
When we love and adore God, our lives become like a green tree by streams, lush and lovely, and we are fruitful for God’s Kingdom.
All this is by God’s grace as well.
Whatever, we lay our hand to flourishes, by God’s grace,
What is the other picture?
Someone who takes the wrong road again and again and ends up like a dead tree, with no life.
A person devoid of doing things that succeed or prosper for God’s glory.
This vivid picture makes it easy to see that we must all seek God’s grace to live by.
We all need God’s grace.