Psalm 1
The first thing I do is open my Bible. I have had this Bible since high school and it is full of notes and highlighting. It's spine is worn out so much that the book is now somewhat floppy, resting comfortably as soon as it is opened.
I say all of this because I often just turn to my phone for a quick scripture fix. I'll go online or read a quick daily devotional.
But it didn't used to be this way. I used to sit and read and write and pray for hours in the morning. I craved it, I longed for it.
But when adulthood strikes and 8am classes beckon it's much easier to read your devo on your laptop before a lecture or have a moment of worship in the car on your way to work.
It's too easy to justify busyness.
I would defend my quick devotionals with the argument that I had spent years reading for hours, so that would help me stay accountable and focused.
Wrong.
I mean, duh, right? As I look back over the last few years I can clearly see where my lack of focused study resulted in very poor choices. I was focused on pleasing people, on pleasing myself.
As the virus started to spread I found myself again stuck in frustration, I found myself panicked and anxious. I was uncertain.
But perhaps all this uncertainty has a purpose. Perhaps it is an opportunity to go back to the way things should be. Because when I put Him first, my life just makes more sense.
That doesn't mean everything is remedied. It just reminds me that I am not alone. That even in the darkness, a Light walks beside me every day. I know I could use more Light and more beauty in my life right now.
And I think He wants us to seek Him out too. He longs to comfort us and hold us. He longs for a relationship where we take delight in all He is and where He can delight in us.
Psalm 1 (NRSV)
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;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
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.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
In my Bible I have the word delight underlined. I think this is because as a young adult I longed for scripture to be the delight of my heart. I wanted nothing but to want Him and what He wanted. Of course, I am realizing now that may be a little idealistic. What I mean by that is that I will continue to be human, to be fallible. I will never reach a point on this Earth where I know exactly what to do and do it exactly the way He would do it. To put it even more bluntly - I am not Jesus. I am not perfect. But I can remember my early years of my faith being consumed with this idea of the "perfect Christian" and that surely you reached a certain point in your faith where you did nothing wrong because you delighted in the Lord and were attuned to His will.
But I suppose that over the years I have come to realize more and more the profound grace of God. Because He did not come to die for me so that I could be perfect, but so that I could be His. He is perfect and His sacrifice will make me righteous by His sheer grace alone.
However, that's doesn't mean I can go about my life doing whatever I want. I just shared that is a horrible idea and leads to loneliness and anxiousness. But it does mean that when I seek Him first, when I take delight in pursuing Him (albeit imperfectly), that He will enable me to yield fruit and prosper.
That is not to say that I will automatically, every day, find delight in this pursuit. It doesn't mean there won't be hard days. But it is a reminder that the Lord watches over the way of the righteous; and we can take comfort that Jesus became this righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) for us so that on the days we may not be as delighted as we should be, He covers us in grace and grants us hope and peace even in uncertainty.
I don't know about you, but I needed a reminder that He has granted us His righteousness. That His grace continually makes us new. That He delights in us. So much so, that He came down to this decrepit world, and died to make us new in Him for those who accept Him as their Savior.
And I guess that's what today comes down to. I will spend every day trying to delight in Him as much as He does me. But how beautiful it is that He will always, eternally, delight in me more than I could ever imagine. I will always need saving. But this passage is a lovely reminder that He watches over me. That when I seek Him, He grants me prosperity and the fruits of peace and joy.
So ask yourself, what do you find delight in? Maybe you are like me and find this question extremely convicting. Because as I type out how long it has been since I have studied scripture, the first Psalm I discuss is a passage about finding delight in His word and His plans for us.
All too often I delight myself with the temporary trappings of this world. Which may be why so much worry is creeping into society with this virus. No more can delight be found in going to the movies, in going to restaurants, in going to theme parks or shopping. Suddenly, we are required to distance ourselves from so many things that have delighted (perhaps even consumed us) for so long.
Maybe this time is genuinely a call to delight in Him and His promises once more.
Maybe we should spend more time embracing all that He is, and delighting in Him as He watches over us and guides us.
Maybe this is the time to meditate on His word, take delight in it, slow down and be still in the knowledge of all He is....
I say all of this because I often just turn to my phone for a quick scripture fix. I'll go online or read a quick daily devotional.
But it didn't used to be this way. I used to sit and read and write and pray for hours in the morning. I craved it, I longed for it.
But when adulthood strikes and 8am classes beckon it's much easier to read your devo on your laptop before a lecture or have a moment of worship in the car on your way to work.
It's too easy to justify busyness.
I would defend my quick devotionals with the argument that I had spent years reading for hours, so that would help me stay accountable and focused.
Wrong.
I mean, duh, right? As I look back over the last few years I can clearly see where my lack of focused study resulted in very poor choices. I was focused on pleasing people, on pleasing myself.
As the virus started to spread I found myself again stuck in frustration, I found myself panicked and anxious. I was uncertain.
But perhaps all this uncertainty has a purpose. Perhaps it is an opportunity to go back to the way things should be. Because when I put Him first, my life just makes more sense.
That doesn't mean everything is remedied. It just reminds me that I am not alone. That even in the darkness, a Light walks beside me every day. I know I could use more Light and more beauty in my life right now.
And I think He wants us to seek Him out too. He longs to comfort us and hold us. He longs for a relationship where we take delight in all He is and where He can delight in us.
Psalm 1 (NRSV)
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;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
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.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
In my Bible I have the word delight underlined. I think this is because as a young adult I longed for scripture to be the delight of my heart. I wanted nothing but to want Him and what He wanted. Of course, I am realizing now that may be a little idealistic. What I mean by that is that I will continue to be human, to be fallible. I will never reach a point on this Earth where I know exactly what to do and do it exactly the way He would do it. To put it even more bluntly - I am not Jesus. I am not perfect. But I can remember my early years of my faith being consumed with this idea of the "perfect Christian" and that surely you reached a certain point in your faith where you did nothing wrong because you delighted in the Lord and were attuned to His will.
But I suppose that over the years I have come to realize more and more the profound grace of God. Because He did not come to die for me so that I could be perfect, but so that I could be His. He is perfect and His sacrifice will make me righteous by His sheer grace alone.
However, that's doesn't mean I can go about my life doing whatever I want. I just shared that is a horrible idea and leads to loneliness and anxiousness. But it does mean that when I seek Him first, when I take delight in pursuing Him (albeit imperfectly), that He will enable me to yield fruit and prosper.
That is not to say that I will automatically, every day, find delight in this pursuit. It doesn't mean there won't be hard days. But it is a reminder that the Lord watches over the way of the righteous; and we can take comfort that Jesus became this righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) for us so that on the days we may not be as delighted as we should be, He covers us in grace and grants us hope and peace even in uncertainty.
I don't know about you, but I needed a reminder that He has granted us His righteousness. That His grace continually makes us new. That He delights in us. So much so, that He came down to this decrepit world, and died to make us new in Him for those who accept Him as their Savior.
And I guess that's what today comes down to. I will spend every day trying to delight in Him as much as He does me. But how beautiful it is that He will always, eternally, delight in me more than I could ever imagine. I will always need saving. But this passage is a lovely reminder that He watches over me. That when I seek Him, He grants me prosperity and the fruits of peace and joy.
So ask yourself, what do you find delight in? Maybe you are like me and find this question extremely convicting. Because as I type out how long it has been since I have studied scripture, the first Psalm I discuss is a passage about finding delight in His word and His plans for us.
All too often I delight myself with the temporary trappings of this world. Which may be why so much worry is creeping into society with this virus. No more can delight be found in going to the movies, in going to restaurants, in going to theme parks or shopping. Suddenly, we are required to distance ourselves from so many things that have delighted (perhaps even consumed us) for so long.
Maybe this time is genuinely a call to delight in Him and His promises once more.
Maybe we should spend more time embracing all that He is, and delighting in Him as He watches over us and guides us.
Maybe this is the time to meditate on His word, take delight in it, slow down and be still in the knowledge of all He is....
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