Psalm 1
Psalm 1, Matthew 4:24-27
Walking through the Psalms this last few weeks I have really noticed how fickle human hearts are. The world is incredibly broken and we can be crushed beneath the weight of it, leading us to believe lies about God, lies about ourselves and each other. It is easy to walk into the pit with our feelings that come and go like tidal waves drowning us in our own tears. Yet, God is intentional in creating his everlasting and living word. The book of Psalms starts off with a song about God’s law. The Psalmist says, “blessed is the man….[who’s] delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2). Jesus tells us that when we find ourselves in the world we will be like those who build their house on sand, unsteady, easily shaken and inevitably crumbling. But those who build their house on Jesus and his word are houses built on stone or like “a tree planted by dreams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3). When we seek out God, when we delight in his word, we become sturdy. We can handle the big tidal waves much better than before because we are anchored by something eternal and steadfast - God’s living breathing word that does not lie about who God is.
Now, I don’t know if you ever read Leviticus (God’s law) but it’s rough in some areas if you're unfamiliar with the context. However, the Psalmist is telling us to delight in that! Why? Because God’s word, God’s law reveals to us who God is and we should be stirred in our affection by that. Jesus tells us that this is water that never leaves us thirsty - why wouldn’t we want to drink that everyday? Reading our Bibles should be an added delight to us, that we can approach it knowing we are about to experience God’s specific revelation and presence through it.
Church, let us be people who delight in the word, the whole word. Not just the fuzzy warm parts, but all of it because all of it proclaims God’s character. We should be a people who deeply long to know him, because knowing him means we seek out to dwell in his presence daily.
What keeps you from delighting in God’s word?
Seek out someone who can help you be more steady in your daily devotion to the Lord, and pray for a deep desire to commune with him through his word.
