Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:1-6, NIV)
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Paths are all around us. Ways to walk, places to be, lives to experience. But with every single day comes the difficult decision of which path to choose; one that prospers or one that does not.
And every single one of us has experienced both of these extremes. We have memories that are full of growth in our spiritual life, seasons where God's presence felt tangible, real, and close. These are the times when we have truly felt that He was using us, moving in us, and teaching us.
But the opposite is also true. Each of us - you and I both - can recall times in life where anything but growth has defined us. Times where choices were made from selfishness, relationships were strained because of our actions, and God felt quiet, distant, and unseen. We were like a numb, lifeless tree stuck in a desert.
Yet each of these seasons in life - each path walked upon - began from an original decision.
Today, something new begins. And today, many decisions are at your door step: what to do, who to see, where to go, what to say yes/no to, ect.
Deep in you is the Spirit of God, giving you an understanding of the righteous path; the path that ends in delight, one full of fruit and true freedom. But in front of you today, tomorrow, and next week will be decisions that call you to rethink what is right, what is fun, and what is life.
But be careful to not follow the advice of the wicked. To not walk the path that sinners tread. And to not take the place of scoffers; people who say one thing yet mock it with their actions.
In the long run, this will only leave you feeling dry and without purpose.
Instead, be like a tree that is planted by running waters, having a heart that is daily consumed and nourished by God's living word. Do this so that you can continually make the righteous decision that fits with who you really are.
Think about it this way: At the end of this series, do you want to look back and see prosperous memories of growth or unfruitful memories of stagnant paths and idle days? Do you want to see a clearer picture of who God says you are or a shaded version of who you know - deep down - you do not want to be?
The path that you will look back on in the future starts with the decisions that you will make today.
Blessings,
Greg, Declare Glory
