Psalm 1

This is a gorgeous time of year in Virginia… the mountains are ablaze with color, the skies are clear, the air is crisp and cool.  I love unpacking my sweaters, boxing up my summer shoes and pulling out my jeans.  For the most part I like working in the yard and cleaning up the mulch beds, but I’m not all that crazy about the leaves.  I don’t have a huge yard with towering trees, but I spent several hours on Tuesday blowing and vacuuming and bagging leaves – six jumbo bags to be exact, and that was the first pass.  There will be at least one more unless I take my neighbor’s advice and just hope the wind blows them down the street.

This week I taught a lesson on Psalm 1 and one of my favorite verses in this short passage is verse 3, “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither…”   Whose leaf does not wither… those kinda trees aren’t found in the greater Roanoke Valley, but what expressive imagery!  The psalmist has just described a faithful person who seeks godly advice, walks obediently, and who continually mediates on the Word of God.

“… his delight is in the Law of the Lord… he meditates day and night…” records verse 2.  I like the picture of constantly pondering scripture to understand how it applies to life.  But what about today’s Christian?  Is meditating on God’s Word still important?  With dozens of self-help books written each year (many of them written by Christians) and hundreds available with the click of a mouse, is the Bible still relevant today?  YOU BETCHA IT IS!!

The Bible is as relevant today as it has ever been!!  As I prepared the lesson for Psalm 1, I thought of the Bible as God’s “record.”  (Before I get slammed by any theologians, I understand that God’s Word is WAY more than a mere record, but Psalm 1 is a simple psalm that called for a simple illustration!)  In the simplest of terms the Bible is a record of (1) God and His attributes, (2) us and our sinfulness, and (3) Jesus and His sacrifice.  Every page of scripture contains truth that instructs us and applies to our lives.

Not only do we have the written Word, but we also have the Holy Spirit of God.  If we think of the Word as the “Record” then think of the Spirit as the “Revealer.”  He illuminates the truths of scripture and causes them to jump off the page and plunge into the depths of our hearts. 

• He reveals Who God is – holy and perfect and just, but gracious and merciful and compassionate.
• He reveals who we are – sinful and separated from Him, but not without hope.
• He reveals Who Jesus is – the One Who was punished for our sin and the ONLY way we can come into the presence of God.

When the Holy Spirit reveals these truths to us, we are faced with a decision.  Do we believe God’s Word and respond with a prayer of confession, or do we disregard God’s Word because it doesn’t line up with our personal beliefs?  Remember that our belief system is influenced by any number of factors:  our upbringing, our religious background (or lack thereof), our education, our friends, our culture, our experiences… but our notions are just that – OUR notions, and they are inconsequential in light of our holy and righteous God.  It really doesn’t matter what WE THINK, it only matters what HE SAYS, and what He says is written in His WORD.  “Your Word, O Lord, is ETERNAL.  It stands firm in the heavens.”  (Psalm 119:89)

How very different God’s view is from the world’s view!!  Many believe we live in an age of enlightenment and should be open to new ideas and revelations of “truth” which point to multiple paths to God that are all equal and valid.  Religion, some would argue, is personal and is best approached like a cafeteria – a little of this, a little of that… incorporate some of Jesus’ teachings but also some current popular teaching…  It’s almost as if there is an attempt to cover every religious “base” while fully committing to NOTHING…  Just figure out what works and seems right to you!?

Hmmm…  so do we base our beliefs on God’s Word – something that has endured for hundreds of years and has proven reliable through generations?  Or do we base our beliefs on our thinking – ideas that come and go and crumble like autumn leaves?

King Solomon said, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death“  (Proverbs 16:25).  Several hundred years later, Jesus provided the answer, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No man comes to the Father except through ME” (John 14:6).

 I know which WAY I choose!!