Two paths, different outcomes

We’ve learned quite a bit as we have traveled with the psalmist through his writing of Psalm 1.  We’ve seen that happiness is something that God gives as a reward to those who seek Him and His path.  We’ve learned about the impact of filling ourselves with God’s Word and what it means to mediate on the Scriptures.  The psalmist also showed us God’s definition of prosperity and how our choices now will impact God’s evaluation of our individual lives.

And now, fittingly, as we come to the end of Psalm 1, the psalmist gives us our final takeaway – the over-arching theme of the entire song:

Psalm 1:6
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

The psalmist’s point is this: to choose the wicked path is straight foolishness.  All the good things in life, all of our desired benefits – both short term and long term – are found by those who walk the way of the righteous.

Those who walk with the Lord are successful because the Lord watches over the way of the righteous.  Conversely, the way of the wicked is not successful because the Lord does not watch over those who choose that path.  God offers no protection or blessing to those who ignore His guidance for life.

From the psalmist’s description, the Israelites who were living righteously are certainly blessed by God; and if the nation is living righteously, then the whole nation is blessed.  But the flip side is also true…which means that input affects outcome.

What is it about the Lord’s instructions that leads to our significant growth, strength, and prosperity?  We see time and time again, throughout Scripture, that the Lord honors those who honor Him. 

Who you spend your time with has a serious impact on the trajectory of your life. 

Who do you spend the most time with? 
Who are the top 5 “influencers” in your life? 

Stop for a moment and list them out.

Is God one of your “Top 5”? 
If so, who are the other four?
If you didn’t include God, why is that?

Is your “Top 5” a good list?  Do they help keep you on the way of righteousness or are they swaying you toward a life that ends in God’s disapproval and ruin?

This is something worth mulling over.  Let’s be intentional with who we allow to have influence in our lives.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

In this family...

At some point in our lives, I think we’ve all had our parents tell us “If you’re part of this family, then you’ll…<insert particular actions, thoughts, or words>”.  And now as a parent, I’ve said it, too.  When I use the word “If” in these kinds of statements, my boys know that I’m not questioning if they are truly my children.  Instead, I’m implying that they know they are part of the family, and since they are, then a particular course is expected of them.

Throughout his letter to the Colossians, it is abundantly clear that Paul is writing to believers.  

1:2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae
1:13 [the Father] has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves
2:12 ...you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God
2:13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him

However, even though they were in the family, the Colossians still needed help understanding how relationships worked inside God’s family.  In some ways, they were still acting and thinking like they had before they entered into God’s family.

After affirming that they are part of the family, Paul had this to say about how they were thinking and acting:

Colossians 2:20
If you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world?

You can hear what Paul’s implying here: If you died with Christ (and you did), why do you live as if you still belonged to the world?

But just as the Father has rescued believers from the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of Jesus, Paul says that our relationship with Jesus will similarly rewire our thoughts and actions. 

Colossians 3:1
So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.

Again, he uses the same implied-relationship statement: if you have been raised with the Messiah (and you have), seek what is above.

The Greek word for seek is a pretty intense one.  It means to seek in order to find out – by thinking, meditating, reasoning, and enquiring.  It carries the idea of striving and craving (even demanding) something from someone.

Paul is letting these believers know that in this family, we don’t establish and maintain a relationship with God by following a set of man-made rules.  Instead, we passionately pursue Jesus.  We seek Him out.  The same thing happens with my boys – they don’t create a “good” relationship with me when they follow self-imposed rules in order to avoid punishments; we have a “good” relationship when they are interested in who I am and what I am like, because it is then that they reciprocate my love for them.

So don’t mess around with the old way of life, the way the world thinks that “religious” people should live.  Following rules doesn’t create a relationship with God, but actively pursuing Him will create this new relationship. 

Want to know what the new relationship is like in God’s family?  Seek Jesus, and he’ll show you.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Biblical meditation

It seems that almost everyone has a plan for how you can “get ahead” in life.  Advertisements, commercials, books, blogs…every information vehicle we know of…has some message on how to improve your diet, your shape, your love life, your education, your career, and on and on and on.

Nearly every one of their “secrets to improvement” focuses in on something that we need to start (or stop) doing.  With enough changes to our behavior, they tell us, we can achieve whatever goal we set out to accomplish.  While behaviors do have to change if we desire a different outcome than where we are currently at, the change in behavior won’t occur unless something deeper changes first.

What we think about throughout the day will determine our actions throughout the day.  If I toy with lustful thoughts, then lustful actions will eventually follow.  If I’m focusing my spare moments on devising ways to enhance my skill set or mulling over new concepts to develop my education, then I will end up being more effective in those endeavors.  For better or worse, the things we think about will be what looms largest and develops the fastest in our lives.

This process is what the Bible refers to as our meditation.  Biblical meditation isn’t a bunch of mental gymnastics aimed at emptying our minds, rather it is the intentional consideration of truth found in the Scriptures.  The author of Psalm 119 recognized the importance of meditating on God’s Word.  Read through this section and identify what benefits he found:

Psalm 119:97-104
How I love Your teaching!  It is my meditation all day long.
Your command makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers because Your decrees are my meditation.
I understand more than the elders because I obey Your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path to follow Your word.
I have not turned from Your judgments, for You Yourself have instructed me.
How sweet Your word is to my taste – sweeter than honey to my mouth.
I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.

Wiser than my enemies, more insight than all my teachers, understanding more than the elders…these impressive benefits are not boasts, rather they are factual statements.  The psalmist could identify the benefits he had received, but kept his ego in check as he recognized where those benefits had come from.  He surpassed those around him only because he was focusing his thoughts continually on God’s command, decrees, and precepts.  God’s revealed Word was the material that he was filling his mind with.

It’s also important to note how much time the author allowed God’s teaching to percolate in his mind before he reaped the benefits.  My favorite crockpot recipe takes 7 hours on a low heat setting before it is fully ready to meet my body’s need for fuel and my desire for good tasting food.  Cranking up the heat to try to speed up the cooking process doesn’t make for a good meal, either.  Similarly, we see that the psalmist allowed God’s word to be his meditation all day long, and likely for many days over, in order to reap the long-term benefits in his life.

So we have to ask ourselves, What’s simmering in the back of our minds?  When we have moments while we wait our turn at the doctor’s office, at a stoplight, or as we wait for others…what are we thinking about?  The default for most of us is to bury our face in our phones or just let our minds wander to whatever random subject crowds in.  If we would use those moments to keep our meditation going on God’s command, decrees, and precepts, then we’re sure to see the same benefits and improvements the author of Psalm 119 did.

Keep Pressing,
Ken 

God's part and God's path

Sometimes, our relationship with God feels very one-sided, like it’s all on us to figure out what God desires in our lives.

We go through the motions of life, doing what we would claim is our “best”, and we figure that if lightning doesn’t strike, we must be doing alright in God’s eyes.  We generally want to make good choices, we’d like to have more than a friendly bond with God; but when it comes to actually developing these skills…most of us think we’ll eventually figure it out as we go through life’s circumstances.

The author of Psalm 119 wanted those same things, but he also knew the best way to pursue them.

As much as the psalmist wanted to the do the right thing, and make the wise choices…as much as he desired a relationship with the One whose judgments and decisions are always good…as much as he wanted to enjoy the quality of life that comes only from knowing the Lord intimately…

The psalmist knew one thing for sure, one thing that he understood at a deeper level…deeper than his desires – he recognized that he can’t have that direction, that relationship, that life…unless the Lord shows him how.

As you read this section of Psalm 119, look for the psalmist’s dependency on God.  What does he need God to do?  What is God’s part in this relationship?

Psalm 119:33-40
Teach me, Lord, the meaning of Your statutes, and I will always keep them.
Help me understand Your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart.
Help me stay on the path of Your commands, for I take pleasure in it.
Turn my heart to Your decrees and not to material gain.
Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in Your ways.
Confirm what You said to Your servant, for it produces reverence for You.
Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, Your judgments are good.
How I long for Your precepts!  Give me life through Your righteousness.

The psalmist is open and bare before the Lord.  There is no false bravado here, and he makes no attempt to hide his deficiencies.  The psalmist knows that he cannot live the life that God made him for unless God tells him how it’s done. 

The beauty of it all is that after honestly recognizing this, and admitting it to the Lord, he is willing to do whatever the Lord asks, to walk in whatever path the Lord directs him to follow. 

How often do we admit our weakness to the Lord?  Sure we might ask for a little “help” with one struggle or another…almost as if we believe that we’ll probably make it there eventually on our own, but it sure would be nice if God gave us a little boost right now…you know, if he could just speed up this maturity process a little bit, we’d appreciate it.

Instead, we should follow the psalmist’s example of admitting that we are completely helpless unless God shows us His path.  In each verse of this section, the psalmist recognized the necessity of God’s active intervention into his life.  Until we admit our inability to figure out God’s ways on our own, we won’t be able to completely follow the path He has laid out for us in His Scriptures.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Choosing our path

When God says something, it’s best that we pay attention.  Sometimes, ideas or commands are even repeated a second time for emphasis.  However, when we read the same phrase five times in eight verses…we need to stop and take a closer look.

One of the overarching themes of the Bible, especially found in the wisdom literature of Psalms and Proverbs, is looking at the course of the individual’s life.  Our path in life depends greatly on the choices we make – which job we take, where we go to school, which church to attend, where we live, and a multitude of other options available to us help plot a course that affects whom we meet, which friends we make, the spouse we marry, our relationship with God, and on and on.

Sometimes it feels like we’re simply being carried along a particular path, either by being passive or due to the consequences of our choices.  However, being passive is still a choice, and the Bible is clear that our choice of action (or in-action) brings either good or bad consequences to our lives.

The author of Psalm 119 was very concerned with the course his life was on.  Although two instances of the word are translated slightly different based upon context, he mentions the way or path he sees a total of five times.  However, the psalmist’s mile markers didn’t consist of friends, spouse, or even career.  When you read the text below, look for the way that he wanted avoid and the way he desired to pursue:

Psalm 119:25-32
My life is down in the dust; give me life through Your word.
I told You about my [way of] life, and You listened to me; teach me Your statutes.
Help me understand the meaning [and way] of Your precepts so that I can meditate on Your wonders.
I am weary from grief; strengthen me through Your word.
Keep me from the way of deceit, and graciously give me Your instruction.
I have chosen the way of truth; I have set Your ordinances before me.
I cling to Your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame.
I pursue the way of Your commands, for You broaden my understanding.

When the author talks to God about his way of life up until this time, God actively listens to all of it.  However, as the psalmist looks into the future, he can see the paths ahead are different from each other.  The distinguishing feature isn’t particular life moments or events; rather the differing paths are identified by how well they line up with God and His characteristics.

The author recognizes that he must choose between the way of deceit and the way of truth.  He even asks for help from God – to be kept away from deceitfulness and to be kept within the boundaries of God’s instruction and commands.

The same choice of paths is in front of us each day.  I pray that we choose wisely, all the while asking God for the understanding, strength, and grace that comes from walking in the way of the Lord.

Keep Pressing,
Ken