“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:3)
Reading today’s verse on its own begs one obvious question: Who? Who is like a tree with a primo spot by the river? Who’s the one that always grows, that never lacks what’s needed, that seems to be especially favored by God?
Jump back a couple of verses and you’ll see that this person is defined by what he or she does NOT do: “walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” That kind of person delights in God’s law and is like this stellar tree.
Notice something: There’s no third option here. You cannot be someone who does NOT live like a sinner but also does NOT love God’s way. Turned around, Psalm 1 doesn’t leave room for us to both live like the wicked and experience God’s well-watered earthly blessings.
We’re either all the way with him – or we’re all the way with the ones who are against him. And things don’t go well for them in the next few verses.
Think: What percentage of people would you say are trying to find the third option – not wicked, exactly, but not completely committed to God’s way, either? What’s the danger of trying to follow that non-existent path?
Pray: Ask God to help you to choose him over the path of those who reject him every time, even in the little choices you make every day.
Do: Close your eyes and think about trees. Okay, not really. But notice the trees this week and think about where their water comes from. Ponder how they get what they need to grow.