Choosing the road

One of the more difficult books of the Bible for me has been the book of Psalms.  While some of my favorite biblical lines come from this book, the actual studying of the book has been something that has eluded me.  As I started studying this week, God has placed on me a willingness to further dissect this book to get to the fruit that it provides.  I hope that you will indulge me as I share some of my understandings and hope that each of you will contribute some of your own as well.

Psalm 1:1 - Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

Psalms starts with a bang. There is foreshadowing here.  There is the point blank teaching that leads us all to understand that we have a choice.  We have a choice in who we seek our counsel from.  We have a choice to not create roadblocks for others who are seeking God's face.  We have a choice to not ridicule or join in the mocking of those who want to gather close to God.

The reward = BLESSINGS.  Not that we should be seeking out something from God, but knowing and acting upon the knowledge that if we do not walk in the counsel of those that would lead us astray, if we don't block those that are trying to walk that same route, if we do not join the doubters or heckler's; we have made a conscious choice to follow the will of God and we will be blessed.

The challenge: Am I keeping good relationships that are supportive of my relationship with the Lord? Am I supportive to others in their walk or am I a hindrance?  When subtle influences arise that want to lead me astray, do I give in?  Do I bring others with me?

Right from the get-go, God let's us know of the choices - faithful or faithless.  And he allows us to make that choice.

What choice will you make today?

As quickly as the Lord tells us that there is a choice, He is also quick to tell us what it takes to support the choice of being faithful and following God's path but also what happens if we don't.

Psalm 1:2-6 -

2But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

         And in His law he meditates day and night.

3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

         Which yields its fruit in its season

         And its leaf does not wither;

         And in whatever he does, he prospers.

4The wicked are not so,

         But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

         Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

         But the way of the wicked will perish.

What a way to describe what happens.  It gives a very clear expectation and understanding of what happens if we don't.  Yet it also gives a beautiful understanding of what happens when we are faithful.  We are like a tree firmly planted that grows, bears fruit.  We do not wither, we do not die.  We prosper in all that we do.

That does not mean that everything goes perfectly the way we want them to.  But in our lives here, we become a beacon for others.  We SEEK the beauty of God's face in our current life.  In our eternal afterlife, we SEE the beauty of God's face.

You will be tempted. Matthew 4 tells of the Spirit leading Jesus into the desert and that the tempter tested him there.  Will you cave or will you follow the example that our Lord and Savior left for us?

When your friend at work wants to gossip about a co-worker; will you cave or will you follow the example left by Jesus?

When you are tempted to slack off in your job; will you cave or will you follow the example left by Jesus?

When you are tired, sick and tired - will you throw up your arms and cave to the temptations that are flowing in your head?  

OR

Will you throw your hands up in the air and ask God to wrap himself around you - to love you - to grant you peace from the storm?  Will you cave to God's love?

You have a road to choose with each decision that you make.  Will you make a conscious choice or will you operate on autopilot?  God awaits your choice and wants you to choose him.  Will you?

Blessings to each of you this day.  God loves you and so do I.

Pastor Jim