January 1, 2007 - Thoughts on Starting a New Year - How to Be Blessed

The Amplified version of the Bible states in Psalm 1:1 that a person who does not follow the advice or purposes of the ungodly is one who is “blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous and enviable).” Also, this person does not stand “submissive and inactive” in the path where sinners walk; neither does he sit “down (to relax and rest) where the scornful (and the mockers) gather.” Psalm 1: 2 states “But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.”
How can one avoid the advice and purposes of the ungodly? Psalm 1:2 instructs us to find ourselves in the study and meditation on God’s teachings, using the Bible as our guide and Psalm 119:105 (The Message) reads “By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.”

The issue is the application of what I know to be true. Now that the Christmas and New Year celebrations are past, I am fully aware that I have over-indulged in all of the good food available over the holidays. I know better, but do it anyway. With regard to our spiritual food, it seems too easy to do the opposite of what we do with regard to our caloric intake. We fast on our spiritual diet when we should be doing the opposite.

How can one be guilty of being submissive and inactive while in the path where sinners walk? If my focus is on self and self-interests, I fail to recognize the needs of others. If I am not spiritually strong and nourished, I become spiritually lethargic, just as a starving person would be in a physical sense.

With regard to those who scorn and mock what is good, the psalmist states that we are not to sit down and relax with them. I believe he realizes that it is not possible to totally avoid them; however, we should not condone what they do by joining them. The boundary between realistic discussion of issues, and what is commonly called a “gripe session” or “gossip,” is easily crossed if we are not careful.

So, if I wish to be a blessed person, I need to be on a regularly involved in reading and meditating on God’s word rather than loitering in the spiritually unhealthy hallways of the world.