“Blessed”
Psalm 1:1-2
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His Law he meditates day and night.
As followers of Jesus, we want to be like the blessed man of the psalm. We do not want to walk, sit, or stand in fellowship with sinners, that is, we do not want to accept the counsel of the wicked or participate in the world’s sin and join unbelievers who scoff at God’s design for His creation. We, in the power of the Spirit, love God’s Word and we would much rather join the psalmist in his delight in the law, or teachings, of the Lord.
Still, in repentant humility and sorrow, we must admit that we do not always find delight in doing the will of God. We fall to temptation and listen to the misleading counsel of the wicked. We may think, speak and act in accordance with sinners and scoffers. Such things bring no blessing to our lives, yet God had mercy on us. Although we did not deserve such a blessing, He sent His Son to be our Savior. Jesus was born among us, but unlike us, He resisted all temptation. He lived among sinners and loved them. He called them to be His followers. Jesus delighted in the Law of the Lord. He faithfully followed His Father’s will. He spoke and taught all that the Father gave Him, saying, “The word that you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:24b).
According to God’s design and as foretold in the Law and Prophets, Jesus was delivered into the hands of the sinners He came to save. He stood in the way of sinners and was condemned to death by them. He walked among sinners as He carried His cross to Golgotha. Hanging helpless on the cross, Jesus listened to scoffers mock Him as Messiah and Savior. Jesus took onto Himself the sins of the wicked, the sinners, and the scoffers. He took our sins into His own body and suffered the penalty of death that should have been ours.
On the first Easter morning, Jesus rose in triumph over death, overcoming the world and its evil. Through faith in His name we have forgiveness for our sins. We live in the world among sinners like ourselves, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we do not seek to walk in their ways. Jesus prayed for His followers: “I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:15-16). Not of the world, but living in the world, we delight in our Lord’s commands. We seek to walk in the way of love. We stand with brothers and sisters in Christ, firm in faith, and sit down together to learn from the Word of God. Forgiven and restored in Christ Jesus, we are blessed!
We Pray:
Lord Jesus, in You alone I have the blessings of forgiveness and eternal life. Amen.
Written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. How do you keep from following the crowd in questionable or iffy situations?
2. When do you find time to encounter God in His Word? Do you do this with others in your family?
3. How does God give us strength to stay close to Him in a world so full of evil and temptation?
Today’s Bible in a Year Reading:
2 Chronicles 10-12; 2 Corinthians 3