April 29, 2020
There are some choices that are more important than others. There is a marked difference between someone who has chosen God and listens and responds to His Word, and one who does not. The contrast and results are stark and staggering.
Nowhere is this clearer than in the opening chapter of the Psalms. These six verses are filled with simplicity, clarity and promises—both positive and negative.
The Contrasting PRACTICE
Psalm 1 reminds us that every man or woman falls into one of two categories: they either live for what others say or cling to what God says. God’s description of these two types of people is stark: the wicked or the righteous. No one would categorize themselves as wicked, but God does. God’s judgement is that it is a wicked thing to ignore the One who created us. We could categorize them as godly versus ungodly.
The UNGODLY man...
Notice how he positions himself. He “walks, stands, and sits” with those who have no regard for God. The end result of this man’s life is predictable. He cannot live in this environment without taking on the attributes of those who are far from God. We may not say that we do this, but think of how much worldly media you watch versus how much of God’s Word you read. Count the number of hours spent at each venue and it will tell you where your heart is.
But the GODLY man...
Here is a man who has come to see the foolishness of the world’s thinking. What God says has become the most valuable possession to Him. He hangs on every word. It is not just the reading of the Bible that David speaks of, but a pure delight in God’s Word that drives him to meditate on it constantly. Meditation means to think on, to pour over, to continually contemplate. In agriculture terms it would be like a cow, chewing the cud to get every morsel of nourishment possible. And, he does this all the time—day and night.
To the wise, Word-consumed man, the Bible has taken first priority and yields incredible joy. David expresses what the words of God become to this man in Psalm 19.
The Contrasting PROMISES
As always with God, there is a great promise for any man who delights and meditates on God’s Word. There is also a promise of what will happen to the one who ignores God. These are non-negotiable. He paints of picture of each of these men’s future.
The GODLY man will be...
Read through this list careful. Let it saturate your mind. Who would not want this life? But there is only one pathway to such joy. The godless man who does not pay attention to God will experience exactly the opposite. This is a non-negotiable picture of his future.
The UNGODLY man will be …
Every man makes decisions that determine what they will become. They may think God is not in the equation, but they cannot ignore Him. He has set immutable laws in motion. If we listen to Him we come to know and love Him and receive all the blessings He has promised. But to ignore Him is to seal one’s fate in the worst possible way in this life and the next.
Which will you choose?
Father, thank You for giving us Your Word which gives us everything we need for life and godliness. Deliver me from the pride that believes I do not need You. In humility, help me to see every word you have spoken as vital to my life and this world. Let me live at Your feet, listening and responding in faith to Your truth. Let me become a Word-consumed man. And, may my life give testimony to others of the incredible value of walking with You.
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