Summer in the Psalms – Week Two

Last year my travels took me to several places with no internet or cell service. While I can’t say that I missed the emails or even social media, I will tell you what I did miss… Google! When our team wanted to know something about the country we were visiting or a conversation led somewhere that needed a little fact checking, I found myself wanting to grab for my phone and do a quick search.

In our information age, most of us have resources at our fingertips. Whether we want to know basic information, learn a new skill, or figure out the best next step we have multiple options to look to. Not only can you search Google, you can read, listen to podcasts, connect on social media, take a class, watch a webinar, or pay for coaching.

Even though all these options are potentially beneficial, they also have the potential to provide us with misinformation or point us in the wrong direction. With this abundance of information, we need to ensure we are going to the best sources. Not every article is accurate, not every so-called expert is an expert, and not every post is worth reading.

Today we are continuing our Summer in the Psalms series by diving into Psalm 1. Even though these words were written many years ago, they look at this critical issue of consulting the correct source. In fact, we learn that the resources we look to and the path we choose will determine the outcome of our life.

Psalm 1 is a contrast between two people – the blessed man and the wicked man. The word the Bible uses here for blessed means happy. So when we talk about the blessed man we are looking at a man who is satisfied and joyful. This blessed man is protected by God and will come to a good end. On the other hand even though the wicked man may have short term pleasure, ultimately his decisions will catch up to him and he will be destroyed.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be the blessed one! I want the satisfaction and joy this man found. Let’s look at little closer at his life. What we know about the blessed man is that he does not look to the wicked man for advice, he separates himself from those who are headed down the wrong path, and he doesn’t join in with those who mock and judge others. (Psalm 1:1) Instead, this is how the Bible describes him, “his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:2 NASB)

Do you see the significance? Though he may not have had the abundance of information we have today, this man certainly had multiple opinions and varying advice competing for his attention, yet he looked to the only source that would never lead him astray – God and His word.

To experience the blessed life, this man had to choose the right source. And so do you. When you are struggling where do you go for advice? When you need to make a decision where do you look? Is your first instinct to open Google, to ask a friend, or is it to go to God?

As the Psalm continues, the psalmist paints a picture of this blessed man. He is compared to strong tree that is planted by a water source. Every year, year after year, this tree produces fruit. Despite dry spells, the leaves never shrivel up.

Just like that tree is deeply rooted and has continual access to water, the blessed man who knows the word of God and looks to it for counsel will have security and replenishment. And just like that tree goes through four seasons every year, he knows that life has seasons and those seasons will always include summer and harvest.

In contrast to the strong, steady, fruitful tree, the wicked man is compared to chaff blown by the wind. In other words, he is easily moved, lacks stability, and is his purpose is short-lived. The wicked man is unable to stand the test of time, while the blessed man is known by God and accepted into His presence.

While most of us know that we should be looking to God and His word, too often that is not our first reflex. In fact, at times it can become our last resort. We search everywhere, ask everyone, and then when we are stuck, we remember that we can look to God, but in order to experience the blessings of God, we have to make God our first reaction and our primary source.

This summer as we are committing to refresh, renew, and re-center, I want to encourage you to evaluate your sources. Who are you going to? Where are looking? If God is not your number one, disorder and discouragement are guaranteed. But when God is first, you can be like the blessed man in Psalm 1, about whom it is said, “whatever he does he prospers.” (Psalm 1:3)