“To bless God for mercies is the way to increase them; to bless Him for miseries is the way to remove them.”
William Dyer
Psalm 1 – The Way to Blessings
The pursuit of happiness is the constitutionally guaranteed right of every citizen of the United States of America. We love this right and the majority of us are pursuing this goal at a fever pitch. With so many people participating in this race to happiness you would think that someone would finally obtain it. But alas it is an elusive prey that is being hunted. The reality is that no lasting contentment can be fashioned by our own hands.
Fortunately, God is fashioning for us a blessedness that is sure and available to all who will obey his Word. The psalmist describes the conduct of the blessed person and so sets us on the road to blessing. John Trapp writes, “The psalmist says more to the point about true happiness in this short Psalm than any one of the philosophers, or all of them put together; they did but beat the bush, God has here put the bird into our hand.” The bird that is in our hand or the key to blessing is simply found in our meditation on the Word if God. The Scriptures guide us away from the counsels of the wicked. They steer us from the way of sinners and prevent us from sitting down (to rest?) in the seat of mockers.
A consistent, daily meditation on the Scriptures will purge our hearts and minds of the impurities that hinder our walk with God. The Bible says that “as he thinks within himself, so he is.” (Prov 23: 7 NAS) It is axiomatic that the thought-life of a person will impact not only their environment but also who they themselves truly are. Therefore, the delight of our souls must be “the law of the LORD.” Is a scheduled ten-minute time sufficient? No. The psalmist describes the regimen of the blessed person as such, “on his law he meditates day and night.” Is this demanding? Yes. Is this going to be worth it? Yes! For this program of blessing carries along with it a promise. You will become like “a tree planted by streams of water…whatever he does prospers.” Meditate on God’s Word and you will soon agree with Thomas A Kempis, “I have no rest, but in a nook, with the book.”
Unto Him be glory,
Pastor Dale
