Puzzle pieces

During the past year, my wife and I have started doing an activity together that I would not have expected – we do puzzles.  Occasionally, we’ll buy them brand new from a big box store, but mostly our go-to is a thrift store.  Although we’re risking that there are only 998 pieces instead of the 1000 advertised on the box, it’s worth spending just a dollar or two for the hours of non-screen time entertainment that we can then re-donate back when we’re finished with it.

While we’ve put together landscapes, collages, mystery pictures, and other various scenes, what I’ve noticed is that no matter what the end result is supposed to look like, we have a distinct pattern of attack when it comes to putting the puzzle together.

I suspect you follow the same steps that we do when completing a puzzle – first sort through the pieces, largely ignoring the design, looking for any pieces with a flat edge.  Then, once you believe you’ve found all flat-edge pieces (or at least a good number of them), you start building the outer frame of the puzzle.  After getting the top, bottom, and side boarders in place, the next step is to sort through the remaining pieces, looking for similar patterns of design.  The big, easily identifiable portions of the picture are the best place to start.  You do your best to figure out where in the puzzle these large sections belong, and in a little while, you have the major sections of the puzzle picture laid out.

The last step has to do with filling in the details.  I particularly don’t like the puzzle pieces of sky or water that look like every other piece of sky or water (or that could pass for either one).  But after looking at these pieces for some time, in relation to the borders and picture sections we’ve already completed, these seemingly monotonous pieces start to look different from one another.  Nuances that were not previously seen slowly become visible.  Eventually, the last piece goes in – and in honor of our triumph, we typically leave the completed puzzle on the table for a full 24 hours for everyone (mainly us) to enjoy.

But other than offering you a suggestion for a non-technology-focused family activity, why would I bring this up?  In our last series, we looked at Psalm 1 and learned about the type of life that God honors and blesses.  The psalmist listed multiple benefits, in this life and the next, for those who walk through life taking the path of the righteous instead of the way of the wicked – and all the blessings happened for those who intentionally pursued God through His Word. 

If you missed any of that series, I highly recommend going back and reading through them.  You can find the start of the series here.  However, if you tracked with me through the entire series, you may be thinking:

That’s great, Ken.  I would like to pursue God more, but I don’t know how.  I can only read and re-read a verse so many times.  What if I don’t understand what I’m reading?

If you are thinking anything along those lines, I wouldn’t want to leave you hanging like that.  So our next series will help equip you to actively engage God in His Word.  In short, I’m not going to tell you what a passage means – instead, I’m going to turn the pen over to you, literally.

But don’t panic…you can do this.  Just like there is a systematic approach to completing a puzzle, there’s a good systematic approach to studying Scripture.  I’ll walk you through it, and if you have any questions, I’ll walk with you through it.  As always, you can reply to the email or reach out to me via the Contact page at www.trustingson.com.

So, let’s start easy.  Grab a pen and a notebook/notepad – preferably new, but at least with some pages to write on.  Together, we’re going to look at a small group of verses.  Just four verses total.  And all I want you to do to get started is take two small baby steps:

1.       Write down the verses in your notebook.
2.       Write down any general observations that jump out at you.  We’re not going deep here, just looking at anything obvious to you as you read through the verses a couple of times.

That’s it for this week.  Seriously.  We’ll do some more steps together in the coming weeks (they’re not all that difficult, either), but these first two items might cost you 10 minutes.  So, ready for the verses?  Here you go:

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from you mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

What two or three things do you notice?  Is there anything here that you have a question about? 

Jot those things down.  Your initial impressions and questions are much more important than you realize at this point.  I’m sure we’ll find answers to them in the coming weeks.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Two paths, final analysis

The Israelites wrote psalms as both poetry and songs to be sung.  Putting concepts into word pictures and to music are a great way to both express ourselves and help us remember truths.  Even today, Christians still use this art form in order to engage God and teach His truths. 

We’ve learned a lot by looking at and thinking through the lyrics of Psalm 1.  But now, let’s put it all together:

Psalm 1:1-5
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

The wicked are not like this;
instead they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

The final verse sums up the entire psalm:

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

The way of the wicked leads to ruin because the Lord does not watch over it.  Multiple translations render the Lord watches over the way of the righteous as “the Lord knows the way of the righteous”.  The NET Bible translation really strikes a chord with me: “the Lord guards the way of the righteous”.

How comforting it is to know that someone has your back!  Flying solo means you are exposed in some area because you cannot manage or see everything going on around you.  Having a partner or someone who provides supportive oversight will give you confidence to forge ahead with the task at hand.  This confidence comes from knowing that someone else will warn you of potential issues, fight off problems so you don’t have to, and back you up when someone else challenges your work.  How much more inspiring is it when the Lord is the one who is watching over you!  He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good…and as we walk the way of the righteous, the way He designed us: He’s got our back.

But it is possible for us Christians to take a different route, to walk a different path than the one God desires.  However, the result of walking through life without God’s support because we ignored His Word ends in just one place: ruin.

That’s not a word we typically dwell on.  Ruin isn’t something we like to think about.  If we consider what a ruined life looks like, we quickly become uncomfortable.  And for good reason…here’s the definition:

ruin – destroyed, to be lost, i.e. – be in a state of hopelessness, lacking confidence in a future situation. |to wander away, i.e. – lose oneself/by implication, to perish and not escape or surely be undone or have no way to flee

A ruined life is one that is wasted, stuck, hopeless, and of our own doing because of the choices we made.  At the end of our earthly life, there will be no way to fix it, escape it, or avoid it.  A ruined life is self-inflicted and cannot be undone.

The way of the wicked leads to ruin because it runs antithetical to God’s design and His path.  How could it lead to anything else?  When everything is made good because it was made for/by/through Him, there is no other alternative “good” ending if we’re not on the Lord’s path.

Solomon also wrote about this theme in the book of Proverbs.  Here’s just one example of when he notes the contrast between the path of the righteous vs the way of the wicked:

Proverbs 4:18-19
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;
they don’t know what makes them stumble.

If we want to be the happy and prosperous person in Psalm 1, we need to abide in God’s Word and God’s Word needs to abide in us.  That is the only path that leads to God’s approval of a life well-lived.  All other paths lead to ruin.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

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

Useless chaff

Throughout Psalm 1, we’ve found out a lot about what happens to those who seek God through His Word.  But what happens to those who do not do this? 

 Psalm 1:1-3
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

And now, the psalmist provides a contrast:

Psalm 1:4
The wicked are not like this;
instead they are like chaff that the wind blows away.

The wicked do not look to the Lords’ instruction and instead rely on the advice/direction of godless others.  But honestly, if they’re avoiding God and godly advice…who else is there to turn to?  If we are not getting God’s plan for our lives constantly added to us, what other source of fuel is there?

As one of my former bosses was inclined to repeat: In the absence of truth, people will make up their own.  There is plenty of advice, paths to take, and company to keep out there…but not all of it is beneficial for guiding a person’s life.

This chaff analogy may be little strange to us non-farming society folks, so here’s what chaff really is – a non-fruit part of a grain plant, which includes the seed-covering husks.  

Chaff is ultra-light and easily blown away by the wind.  Chaff is not the useful part of the plant.  Chaff is the total and complete opposite of the tree planted beside flowing streams.  Also keep in mind that chaff is never a “good” comparison in Scripture.

But does chaff or husks serve any purpose?  Albeit a temporary good or help to the plant, it has no lasting impact.  Without God’s word consistently soaking into our lives, people eventually become like flittering-in-the-wind chaff…no root, no life, no fruit; a missed or ruined opportunity, wasting the time given to us.

God takes very seriously how humans approach His word, how we regard His revelation of both Himself and the purpose of human creation.  God is so serious about it, that He warns us of both present life and future consequences.  When the wicked ignore the Lord’s instruction, not only will their lives amount to useless chaff, but they also will not receive a favorable judgment from the Lord:

Psalm 1:5
Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Both the wicked path and the righteous path have short-term (in this life) and long-term (eternal) consequences.  However, we still must reject the urge to interpret this psalm as “saved vs not saved”.  We are not talking about eternal destinies here. 

Remember the context of the psalm – it was written by and for God’s chosen nation, Israel.  We’re dealing with an in-house situation here.  Similarly, can a church-age believer waste his or her life?  Absolutely.  And how would we expect God’s evaluation of their life go?

The wicked are not godly.  They may do kind acts or charitable deeds, but God’s evaluation of how they spent their lives is that they had no eternal impact.  Chaff has no root or strength to stand on its own, therefore the wicked and sinners are incapable of standing.  It’s not so much that God prevents them from standing, rather they do not have the capacity to do so.

The contrast used by the psalmist is almost absurd, when you think about it – a prosperous, full-of-life tree vs chaff.  There’s no comparison here.  Given the choice between the two, no one would choose to be the chaff.

And that’s the psalmist’s point – the choices we make, how we walk the path that we walk, affects not only this life, but our standing in the next life.  Joe often reminded me that “this life is just boot camp for the next”.  I’ve also heard the analogy that this life is like being in the womb, and we are developing now what we will need when we are born into the next life. 

For those who walk the righteous path and fuel their life with God and His word, their choices will be vindicated when God does His evaluation.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Prosper

Much like the word happy, the word prosper can be surprisingly divisive in Christian circles.  Some believers go so far as to say that if you’re not wealthy, you’re not doing “God’s Will” for your life.  Other believers, at the opposite end of the spectrum seem to begrudge those who are “too successful”.  Typically, we define success in monetary terms…but maybe God has a different definition.

For context:

Psalm 1:1-2
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

Notice when the psalmist inserts prosperity into the picture:

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Whatever he does prospers…that is a huge promise!  But is that what it really means?  Whatever he does prospers…literally anything?

In context, this would be as he follows the way of the righteous…remember, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, so his endeavors and goals will be in accordance with that.  This doesn’t mean there is just one linear path for us to follow (i.e. – God wants me to have this specific job and marry this specific person and attend this specific school, and if I don’t…then I’m not in “God’s will”).  Instead, God’s instructions are principles for us to apply as we travel through life.  As we continue to apply His teachings, we are walking the path of the righteous and are rewarded with prosperity.

The Hebrew word for prospers (tsaleach) shows up 65 times in the Old Testament, so this is something God brought up regularly to the Israelites.  The word means to succeed, generally expressing the idea of a successful venture, as contrasted with failure.  The source of such success is God.

The same word is rendered as success in 2 Chronicles 26:5, when describing the best part of King Uzziah’s reign:

2 Chronicles 26:5
He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear of God.  During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

The same word also appeared as prosper in God’s direction to Joshua, as he was receiving instructions from God just prior to leading the Israelites into the Promised Land:

Joshua 1:8
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Do you see the pattern showing up in each of the texts?

meditate on God’s word then do the work given then be prosperous

A godly, prosperous person isn’t a sinless person, they are not someone who does everything right.  Instead, it’s someone who is walking in the counsel of God…and that involves a variety of appropriate actions at appropriate times: confessing sins, serving, learning under sound teaching, putting into action the lessons we learn from God, loving others as we have been loved, and looking at life through God’s perspective.

So far in Psalm 1, we’re finding that the difference between a godly man and a wicked man is the constant input from the Word of God.  Time in God’s Word is their delight and focus – I’m not talking about a 5 minute devotional here – but a primary focus…soaking in the Word, allowing it to permeate his mind and change his actions (take a look at Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 for more examples)

So what is prosperity and success, then?  While the world defines those terms mainly in finances, in contrast, God is telling us that prosperity is something much greater.

The psalmist’s tree analogy defines success as well-timed fruitfulness: your life is producing good things for the people around you, you are achieving your true potential.  A fruit tree was made to produce fruit, because that is what it is designed to do – and if it’s not producing fruit, then it is missing out on what it was made to do.  And it’s the same with us, but as we have seen, fruitfulness only happens when the Word transforms us. (This is similar to the abiding theme we find in John 15 and the apostle’s discussion throughout 1 John)

In Psalm 1:3, we have a promise to claim: That God’s Word will sustain/grow me and there is happiness, delight, and prosperity in doing so.  However, our look at other Scriptures confirmed what we’ve seen in Psalm 1, that there is also a condition to meet in order to have this God-defined prosperity: Intentionally spend time in God’s Word, purposely meditate on it, and delight to do so…knowing that God can/will develop me in the way I was created to grow and mature.  And then I will find happiness and prosperity.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Like a well-fed tree

So far, we’ve looked at the first two verses of Psalm 1:

Psalm 1:1-2
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

Happiness isn’t the only benefit of making wise choices when it comes to who has influence in our lives.  The next verse tells us the continued benefits of having the Lord’s instruction determining how we live our life:

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

As the wise person substitutes the Lord’s instruction in place of the advice/direction of godless others, this leads him to become like an abundantly prosperous tree.  Given the number of lines used to describe this tree, our psalmist must see this is an important comparison.  So, let’s stop and think about it: How is this prosperous tree “healthy”?  How does the psalmist describe it?

First thing we notice about tree are usually the leaves.  Effort and energy-wise, leaves are cheap for the tree to produce; however, they are often the first thing to change if a tree is unhealthy.  Leaves that have discoloration or fall off too early in the year, especially due to the summer’s heat, indicate that the tree is struggling in some manner.  The opposite, of course, is also true: if a tree has full, green leaves and stays vibrant even after difficult weather, then we know the tree is strong and in good health.

The psalmist also states that the tree produces fruit; but specifically that it bears its fruit in its season.  Fruit in-season is useful, beautiful, and delicious…whereas fruit out-of-season doesn’t fully reach maturity and tastes bland or sometimes even bad.  One of my favorite songs refers to many of us as “misguided roses” who bloom in October, just in time for the season’s first snowstorm.  No matter how lovely the flower could have been, it can’t reach maturity because it arrived so late out-of-season.

Lastly, think about what size the trees are when they are planted next to flowing streams.  They are not tiny sprigs…they are HUGE, strong, and healthy because they are constantly fed by the river directly and by the ground, which is kept fertile by the river deposits

I really like the descriptor of the Lord’s instruction being like flowing streams – because most people assume that reading the Bible and living God’s way are boring and rigid, both in this life (we can’t have fun) and the next life (Heaven is just sitting on clouds, strumming harps).  However, the psalmist compares the Lord’s instruction to flowing streams.  This vibrant imagery communicates that the water is not stagnant, it’s not dead.  The constant input from these live waters bring various nutrients and growth factors to the one who wisely chooses to listen to the Lord.

This isn’t the only time a follower of the Lord was described this way.  Here’s what the prophet Jeremiah recorded of the Lord’s words to Israel:

Jeremiah 17:7-8
The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.
He will be like a tree planted by water:
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn’t fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.

One last piece of information to share about these flowing streams.  In the New Manners and Customs of the Bible, we find this interesting cultural insight:

Several commentators call attention to the fact that the Hebrew words palge-mayim, here rendered streams of water by the NIV and rivers of water by the KJV, literally means divisions of waters, and most likely refers to the favorite mode of irrigation in some ancient Middle-East countries. Canals were dug in every direction, and through these the water was carried to all the vegetation. Egypt was once covered with these canals, and in this way the waters of the Nile were carried to every part of the valley through which the river ran. Some gardens were so arranged that water was conveyed around every plot and even to every tree.

The streams of Palestine regularly dried up, but the irrigation canals that came off the great rivers never did.  When we intentionally irrigate our lives with God’s word, we don’t go dry.  We are successful in all areas that we should be.  Successfully trees produce good fruit…they don’t fly, or swim, or anything else, they successfully do what they were created to do.

This is the psalmist’s analogy:
Flowing streams feed the tree, which leads to the tree bearing fruit in season, with leaves do not wither
IS PARALLEL TO
meditating on the Lord’s instruction day and night, which leads to a successful, wise life that thrives even when hard circumstances come.

This is our challenge to face, based on Psalm 1:3 – Be intentional about spending purposeful, active, and regular time in God’s Word.  Think about God’s word and apply it to your life.  Then, you will be successful in what God has created you to do.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

What is meditation, really?

We’ve been looking at the beginning verses of Psalm 1 and have found guidance on where to expect happiness and where not to expect happiness.

Psalm 1:1
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Psalm 1:2
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

However, I’m pretty sure I can hear your thoughts…

Seriously, Ken?  All I have to do to be happy is to read my Bible more?  And…somehow find “delight” in doing so?  I’ll admit some parts are interesting and other parts are easy to understand, but you’ve got to admit there’s a lot challenging things in there.  It’s really hard to “delight” in something that is a struggle to read.

I understand, and I agree…but my suggestion to help you connect delight with the Lord’s instruction is in the second half of the same verse: meditate on it day and night.

But what is meditation, really?  And how do we do it?  Is there a certain phrase to repeat or setting we need to be in to meditate properly?  It’s tough to know when there’s so many mixed messages about it in culture.  Meditation is used for jokes in kids’ shows and often portrayed as hippie mysticism in adult shows.  We hear stories of monks who silently meditate all day, every day.  Some parts of Christianity avoid it entirely, while other Christians advocate it as an essential spiritual discipline.  So what are we to do when read verses like Psalm 1:2?

We always want to avoid putting a modern spin or definition on how we interpret the text, so the first thing we do is look at how the original writer/reader would have understood the practice of meditation.

meditate (Hebrew: hagah) – ponder, give serious thought and consideration to selected information, with a possible implication of speaking in low tones reviewing the material, to mutter, to make a judgement about something after a thought process

From this definition, we see that meditation is intentional, not accidental.  Biblical meditation is mulling over the Lord’s instruction, it is not any of the examples or definitions we find in other cultures or religions.  There is no “emptying the mind” to find out what new thought will eventually fill it,  or “centering” on one word repeated over and over.  Looking at a one-for-one Hebrew-to-English translation of the second part of Psalm 1:2 can also help us see the emphasis of the verse:

mediate torah himself day night

God desires for His people to think about His words throughout their day.  For an example, we can look back to one of the pivotal moments in Israel’s history.  Just as they were getting ready to enter into the Promised Land, Moses gave meditative-like instructions to the Israelites.  Life was about to change for them, in a big way, as soon as they crossed the Jordan River.  They would need to remember who they were and whose they were.  Moses knew they would only remember these truths if they found ways to incorporate God’s words into their daily lives:

Deuteronomy 6:6-9
These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.  Repeat them to your children.  Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.

God’s words were to be a part of their daily lives, which would help the Israelites think about them throughout their day.  Lastly, notice how Psalm 1:1 and 1:2 are contrasted between action and contented thinking:
walk/stand/sit                                vs           meditate
wicked/sinners/mockers           vs          the Lord
advice/pathway/company        vs           instruction

From this contrast, we realize that our happiness is not found in the actions of the first column, instead it will be found as we allow God to renew our minds with His truth.

How can we apply this Biblical method of meditation to Scripture?  It involves examining a passage, thinking about it, praying about it, and exhorting ourselves to fulfill it.  It can include talking with others about it or intentionally having reminders of the passage show up at different parts of our day. 

A godly person is not influenced by unrighteous people, but by his mediations on the Word of God.  Biblical meditation does not mean emptying our minds, instead it is about filling our minds with God’s Word…but only if we desire to do so.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Two paths, but only one leads to happiness

Last time, we looked at the beginning of Psalm 1, and we found strong advice on where not to go for our happiness:

 Psalm 1:1
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

The second verse tells us where to go to find our happiness:

Psalm 1:2
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

Hebrew psalms and proverbs were commonly written in parallel form, comparing and contrasting two aspects of life – in this case, the psalmist is contrasting a life lived with God’s input and a life lived without it.

We have to be careful here.  There is a trap that snares a lot of modern Christians when they read the Bible, and especially when they read Old Testament passages – although easy to do, there is no evidence here that we should read this text as a contrast of “saved” vs “unsaved”. 

Instead, remember the context of the psalm – the text was written as a poem/song for Israel, very likely before the Babylonian exile.  That puts the date as roughly 1000 BC.  At that time in history, the nation of Israel was in good world-political standing, they were prosperous, and they were not under the rule of any other nation.  The Mosaic Law was in full force (referred to in the psalm as the Lord’s instruction, and animal sacrifices were part of daily living).  As such, this psalm is about a way of life, not how to change one’s eternal destiny.

Therefore, based on the context, the topic of Psalm 1 is not “those who have everlasting life vs those who do not have everlasting life”…instead, it is “those who are blessed/happy vs those who are not blessed/happy”.

With this psalm, the Israelites are given a choice.  Being presented with two paths is not a new concept for them, either.  Compare Psalm 1:1-2 with what Moses told the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land:

Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse: there will be a blessing, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you today, and a curse, if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God and you turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods you have not known.

It’s not always easy to see where certain paths lead.  Like Proverbs 14:12 says “there is a way that seems right to a person…”.  Some bad paths may not look bad, at least at first.  This is why God gives us so many warnings in Scripture, and putting this poem/song at the beginning of the book of Psalms is a great way to start the entire book.  Starting with this kind of warning is a “first things first” approach to teaching the nation of Israel about their relationship with God.  Beginning with the End in mind will help them discern the choices and paths before them.

Looking at Psalm 1:1-2, we see that happiness comes from avoiding the habits of the wicked and replacing that constant input with the Lord’s continuous instruction.

The two paths presented look like this:

walking in advice of the wicked
standing in the pathway with sinners
sitting in the company of mockers
vs
delighting in the LORD’s instruction and meditating on it day and night

But verse 2 is counter-intuitive, isn’t it?  It’s not often that we connect delight and the Lord’s instruction.  Those aren’t concepts that we usually put together.

But think back to whatever timeframe you consider the “best times” in your life so far…were you following the advice of the wicked, or choosing a life characterized by sin, or actively participating with those who mock God’s ways?  My suspicion is that your “best times” were not characterized by these kinds of activities.  I would even go a step further and suggest that your “best times” were when you were following God’s advice and path for your life.

I can personally attest to this.  Both of the following statements are true for me and my family:
·       The happiest times in my life have been when I am intentionally studying and enjoying God’s Word.  The constant input of God’s influence kept me from wandering to other, more dangerous paths.
·       The happiest times in my marriage have been when both my wife and I are intentionally studying and enjoying God’s Word…and doing so with other godly people of all ages, as a mentor, peers, or younger believers.

Just like the Israelites, we have a choice of two paths: God’s design in His Word or the advice of those who reject God’s way.  One path leads to happiness and life of blessing, the other to unhappiness – while living under God’s curse and displeasure.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Is "happy" ok?

Have you ever noticed how divisive the word “happy” has become in Christian circles?

 It seems strange to even type that sentence, but I’ve heard preaching that said:
·       God wants you to be happy
·       Happiness is fleeting and based on circumstances, instead we should focus on being joyful
·       “Happy Christians” aren’t serious about their faith, they’re just focused on “playing nice”
·       Pursuing happiness in this life is shallow theology
·       We shouldn’t find happiness in our stuff
·       We should be happy and grateful for the stuff God gives us
·       Happiness is a symptom, not the goal

Overall, I’d say the majority of Christian teaching I’ve been exposed to has generally said that happiness – as a pursuit or priority – is a bad thing for a believer.  To sum up what I heard taught:

Happiness is considered too shallow for those who are spiritual and godly; instead, we should focus on God’s more significant desires.  And if by doing those more significant things for God, you become happy or even stoically joyful, then that’s alright…but don’t expect God to be directly interested in making sure you feel “happy”.

And then, I open my CSB translation study Bible and read the first verse of the first psalm:

Psalm 1:1
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Hrm…how about that? 

Sure looks like God considers happiness as a good thing…and it appears to be a positive result when we make wise choices about the relationships we keep.

But let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?  When I look up the Hebrew word for happy (ashre), I find that the Greek equivalent (makarios) is found in Jesus’ beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount.  You know, the teaching where Jesus repeatedly said “Blessed are those who…”?  Well, you could legitimately go to Matthew 5:3-11, substitute in the word “happy”, and read “Happy are those who…”.

In Hebrew, happy (ashre) is defined as heightened state of joy, implying very favorable circumstances and enjoyment.  When used, the word also suggests a state of prosperity or happiness from a superior bestowed on another.  It also seems to contain a congratulatory element.

With this Hebrew-usage definition, we understand that God gives happiness as a reward for making wise choices.  He gives His favor to those who have done well.  If we take this definition, and place it in the context of Psalm 1:1, we are told where our happiness and God’s favor is definitely not found:

Psalm 1:1
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked or
stand in the pathway with sinners or
sit in the company of mockers!

Three levels of person-to-person interaction are presented – each one details a level of relationship we can have with anyone.  As the psalm continues, the relationships become more intense.  We move from a being casually influenced by ungodly people to being someone who shares life with those who show contempt and scorn for God and His ways.

The three activities listed – counsel, way, and company – point out that the righteous are to avoid thinking like, behaving like, and dealing with the wicked.  If you are not characterized by evil influence, then you are happy – because you are in right relationship with God and He rewards those who pursue His ways.

This isn’t the only time God gave the Israelites this kind of warning, either.  Here’s just one example:

Proverbs 4:14-15
Keep off the path of the wicked; don’t proceed on the way of evil ones.
Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.

Of course, the psalmist was not telling the Israelites to form a holy huddle and exclude all non-Israelites from their lives (even Paul recognized the impossibility of Christians doing so in 1 Corinthians 5:9-10).  The warning here is to not be influenced by those by who are not following God’s path.

Perhaps we can sum up Psalm 1:1 like this:

Don’t rely on the ungodly for what only God can provide.  Happiness is not found in a wicked person’s advice, lifestyle, or company.

As we continue through the psalm, we’ll see what we need to do in order to find and maintain this God-bestowed happiness.  But for starters, let’s make sure we are avoiding the things that we know will not bring us God’s favor.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Round 2: Aftermath of a miracle: the ultimate setup

I’ve met many people who read themselves into the stories of the Bible…they envision themselves as David slaying their own personal Goliath, or they’re Daniel who will be rescued from the lions’ den…but I’ve never heard someone read themselves into the story of Lazarus. Accepting the idea that God would want us to play the role of Lazarus would be uncomfortable and go against much of what is taught in Christian Living books.

I can’t say why my wife developed cancer, or how to make sense of an overall good recovery…how is God going to use that story? What we can do is continue to be grateful that God allowed for a speedy recovery and be sympathetic towards anyone whose story is different. God doesn’t have to tell us why He wants us to repeat lessons He has taught us in the past. We just have to continue to trust that He knows what’s best.

Aftermath of a miracle: the ultimate setup
originally posted on August 30, 2018

Nothing in human history “just happens”.  There’s always a backstory, a winding of paths that leads up to the moment when the whole world is captivated by an event.  Think about the recent history of the USA, and how everything seemed to stop for events of both greatness and tragedy: a man lands on the moon or an underdog hockey team wins gold at the Olympics and we’re in awe of what’s possible; yet when a terrorist attack is committed or a space shuttle explodes due to an unexpected malfunction, we stand in stunned silence.

There are always dots to connect, paths to retrace, and decisions to evaluate…all leading up to “that moment when…”.  However, as we live through the days leading up to the event, we are often unaware of how connected everything truly is.

The events of the Scriptures are of the same nature – nothing just spontaneously happened.  But to the people living their lives throughout the times of the Bible, going about their daily business, they didn’t know what was coming next.  They couldn’t predict what God was doing in their time.

One event in Jesus’ life has always seemed to me, well, a little weird.  I know, I know…Jesus’ life was full of unique experiences and happenings – He is the Son of God, after all.  All four gospel accounts recorded it, and we celebrate this particular event every year, like clockwork.  Our calendars have this day marked out for us, just like it has Christmas and Easter.  It was a huge event in the life of Christ, but up until this recent study, I just couldn’t wrap my head around why it happened.

I’m talking about the Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, celebrated in churches each year as Palm Sunday. 

The Passover was the biggest event on the Jewish calendar.  It was the annual remembrance of when God used Moses to rescue His people from their cruel Egyptian masters, and sent the children of Israel on the path to having their own land.  Due to the Roman occupation in Jesus’ day, the Israelites would have held this ceremony especially close, since God had promised that He would send someone like Moses – the Messiah – to come and rescue them again…and the Messiah would be the one to set up the Jewish kingdom to rule, forever.  Of course, there were rumors that Jesus was God’s Messiah…but people weren’t quite sure…

John 11:55-57
The Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover.  They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple: “What do you think?  He won’t come to the festival, will He?”  The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it so that they could arrest Him.

Jesus did come.  But first, He went to visit His friends – Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  His visit happened not long after He had raised Lazarus from the dead.  Of course they were excited to see Jesus, and they threw a big dinner party for Him to say THANK YOU.

John 12:1-3, 9-11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.  So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.  Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair.  So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume…Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He was there.  They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one He had raised from the dead.  But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.

Can you feel the tension?  The Jews has been oppressed by Rome for nearly 100 years at this point.  The Passover was coming.  The religious leaders feared the nation was on the verge of revolt, with Jesus (and Lazarus) being the tipping point.  And then…this happened:

John 12:12-14, 17-19
The next day when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting:

“Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord – the King of Israel!”

Meanwhile, the crowd which had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.  This is also why the crowd met Him, because they heard He had done this sign.  Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see?  You’ve accomplished nothing.  Look, the world has gone after Him!”

No Facebook event page, no mass text, no TV commercial, no news broadcast coverage…and somehow, a parade breaks out?  While the people’s shouts may have contributed to the crowd swell, did you notice who John said was spreading the news of Jesus’ arrival?  The crowd which had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.

Lazarus’ pain, suffering, and death was what connected others to witnessing him being brought back to life.  These eye-witnesses were the ones who connected to an entire city, testifying that the one the Jews had heard about was, in fact, the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for.  Jesus’ Triumphal Entry didn’t just happen.  God had been coordinating events that were seemingly unconnected, all in the background, until His Plan was brought to light. 

His plan was that the world’s busyness would stop for a moment so people could see Jesus for who He is – our Messiah, our Savior, our King.

But in order for the Triumphal Entry to happen and for Jesus to be revealed to an entire city…it cost Lazarus his life.  Christians often point to God’s willingness to send Jesus to the cross as proof that God will go to any length for us.  And that is absolutely true, God loves us that much…but the flip-side scares me, and no one ever talks about the flip-side: If God is willing to have Jesus die on a cross, then nothing in my life is untouchable or off-limits. 

Am I more valuable than Jesus?  Absolutely not.  If that’s the case, do I trust God when life hurts?  Do I believe He knows what He’s doing…even as my body fails me?  Am I willing to let God tell His story, even if He expects me to make a Lazarus-level sacrifice?

Am I willing to let my suffering set up Jesus’ Triumphal Return?

Keep Pressing,
Ken