Because the outdated 12 months ends and a brand new one begins, you’ll in all probability be wished in some unspecified time in the future, “Comfortable New 12 months!” And certainly, for many people, a brand new 12 months does present a chance to mark out one’s course for the twelve months forward—a course probably geared toward better happiness.
Psalm 1, one of the vital beloved entries within the Psalter, presents a biblical image of the actually completely happy individual. Whereas in lots of translations it begins “Blessed is the person…” we would simply as simply exchange “blessed” with “completely happy.” Each of those phrases describe the one that is—in fashionable, nontheological language—lucky, experiencing the nice items life has to supply. The individual Psalm 1 describes resides the nice life as God sees it.
As we take into consideration bettering our lives and experiences within the coming 12 months, this psalm is a crucial one to think about. It describes 3 ways individuals go incorrect, the one solution to go proper, and the outcomes that spring from every path.
Three Methods to Go Flawed
The completely happy individual, we learn first, “walks not within the counsel of the depraved” (v. 1). They don’t embrace the goals, rules, or practices of the sinful world round them. This doesn’t imply having no non-Christian acquaintances or strictly shunning those that consider otherwise. It does imply recognizing the distinction between proper and incorrect and affirming what is true. Following Jesus is a mind-altering expertise. Believing religion adjustments the best way a person or a girl thinks —and that change ought to contain a determined rejection of “depraved” methods of seeing God, the world, one’s neighbors, and oneself.
Neither is it the completely happy one that “stands in the best way of sinners” (v. 1). Readability of perception brings readability of conduct. The completely happy individual walks with God and so doesn’t stand round loitering within the highways and byways with the ungodly. They select their friendships nicely. They’ve heeded the recommendation of J. C. Ryle to “by no means be happy with the friendship of anybody who is not going to be helpful to your soul.”
Following Jesus is a mind-altering expertise. Believing religion adjustments the best way a person or a girl thinks.
Neither is it the completely happy one that “sits within the seat of scoffers” (v. 1). How widespread it’s to despise what we don’t perceive, mocking and scoffing at it! The Bible is stuffed with difficult tales or teachings that will tempt us to snigger slightly than to pay attention. We would equally jeer on the lengthy, incomprehensible names of our prescribed drugs—but it will be a grave mistake to throw them away on that foundation. We ought to not despise the prescription made to avoid wasting our lives!
The Option to Go Proper
If Psalm 1’s opening verse describes the course the completely happy individual does not pursue, the subsequent verse describes the course they do pursue: The completely happy individual’s “delight is within the regulation of the LORD” (v. 2). They’ve nice pleasure in contemplating God’s phrases to us—not simply the legal guidelines of the Ten Commandments however all that He has stated within the pages of Scripture.
God calls us by way of His Phrase to His Phrase to seek out happiness. The doorway of God’s Phrase offers mild (Ps. 119:130). If we put confidence in ourselves, we will likely be disillusioned. If we put confidence in Scripture, nonetheless, it’s going to change our lives. Thomas à Kempis as soon as stated, “I’ve no relaxation, however in a nook, with the ebook.” And not using a need for and a delight within the Phrase of God, there’s little hope for the type of happiness described on this psalm.
Tom Landry stated that his job as an NFL coach was “to get individuals to do what they don’t need to do in an effort to obtain what they need to obtain.” We are saying, “Oh, goodness gracious! I don’t have time for the Phrase this morning. I’ve acquired to bathe, brush my tooth, brush my hair, get the youngsters to highschool, get to the workplace early.” Then, on the finish of the day, we’re too drained; maybe we’ll learn within the morning, we inform ourselves. However we’ll by no means obtain the happiness we’re aiming for this manner. We have to commit ourselves to the self-discipline of standard Bible studying, doing what, within the second, we regularly don’t need to do.
While you meditate on that which purifies and transforms, you grow to be the type of completely happy individual this psalm envisions.
But the completely happy individual not solely reads God’s Phrase but in addition “meditates day and evening” on it (v. 2). This implies chewing the cud, so to talk—reflecting on the that means and relevance of the phrases and conserving them earlier than the thoughts’s eye. When your thoughts dwells on sin, you’ll grow to be extra of a sinner. When it dwells on bitterness, you’ll grow to be extra bitter. However whenever you meditate on that which purifies and transforms, you grow to be the type of completely happy individual this psalm envisions.
We don’t must count on ourselves to grow to be masters of the Scriptures in a day. (As if anybody has ever “mastered” the Scriptures slightly than the opposite approach round!) Start delighting within the Phrase by studying one thing. Start meditating on it by writing one thing down. It might really feel small right this moment, however day-to-day, it’s going to construct and nourish your soul.
The Outcome
With that nourishment, the completely happy individual turns into “like a tree planted by streams of water” (v. 3)—rooted, sturdy, fruitful. With out it, the depressing individual turns into “like chaff that the wind drives away” (v. 4)—rootless, weightless, ineffective. The tip will likely be both pleasure “within the congregation of the righteous” (v. 5) or loss of life with the depraved (v. 6). And the important issue is that this: “The LORD is aware of the best way of the righteous” (v. 6). Those that root themselves in God might know God and discover salvation in Him.
There isn’t a third approach. To be on the best way of the depraved, we’d like solely to be born (Ps. 51:5). By default, we go within the depraved’s counsel, stand within the sinner’s approach, and sit within the scoffer’s seat. “However with you there’s forgiveness,” the psalmist says to the Lord, “that you could be be feared” (Ps. 130:4).
If we haven’t already finished so, we are able to start to stroll the highway of righteousness within the new 12 months by accepting the provide of forgiveness within the Lord Jesus, who stands on the entry to the slender approach (Matt. 7:13–14) and says, “I died on the cross, bearing your sin and sparing you from judgment. Should you’ll belief in Me, I’ll assist you to stroll this highway.” That is the start of a contented life. And if we’re already on that highway, then we are able to seize the chance to recommit ourselves to the course, delighting ourselves in God’s regulation and permitting it to mild our path (Ps. 119:105) all of the extra within the days forward.
This text was tailored from the sermon “Methods to Have a Comfortable New 12 months” by Alistair Begg.
