Blessed In Relationship With God
My earliest memories of poetry are from time spent with my Grammy. I remember her reading stories like Frog and Toad and singing nursery rhymes like London Bridges. She opened my mind and my heart to a colorful cast of characters and their adventures by sharing those verses with me. I often didn’t understand the meaning of what was being said, but oh how I loved to sit next to her, listening to the joy of her voice and feeling the warmth of her spirit near to me.
The book of Psalms is categorized primarily as poetry. It is a collection of verses expressing lament, thanksgiving, praise and hope, all very real to the experience of the writer and inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is full of messianic prophecies, which means that there are words written in Psalms that are fulfilled in the life of Jesus about a thousand years later. I recently learned that during His life on earth, Jesus quoted the Psalms more than any other Scripture. Clearly the Psalms are dear to Jesus.
Psalms opens with an invitation to follow our Lord through His Word as we leave parts of the world behind.
Psalms 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.
What does this mean, “walks not in the counsel of the wicked?” Did you know that self help books are selling at an all-time high right now? The personal development market is valued in the tens of billions and growing. Of the books that are currently on the top 10 of the self-help list, not a single one is written by a self-declared Christian author. So why would we seek counsel for the most intimate corners of our hearts and minds from a writer who does not proclaim the glory of God?
And how about sits in the seat of scoffers?” I’ve recently taken a pause from how I normally interact with social media because of the comments section. Yes, I still go and see highlights from the day, but I do not stay long enough to take a seat. I have noticed that when I do stay long enough to sit down I am surrounded by scoffers – people whose words are purposed to tear down, divide, cast shame on and hurt others. As a follower of Jesus, this is not a seat meant for me.
I prefer the blessing that comes with being present with my God, seated in the heavenlies.
Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
This year the PrayerBowls team will be moving through the Psalms and you are invited to join them. It is an invitation to step away from the chaos of the world and to sit with the Lord of heaven and earth. To let His poetry be spoken over you. To soak in the rich blessing of knowing Him through the Word He wants to speak directly to you.
Just as it was for me with my Grammy, we may not understand all that He is saying to us, but we can still sit near to Him as we listen to the emotion of His voice and feel the warmth of His Spirit present with us.
---------------------------------------------
Heavenly Father,
You are our gracious and loving Lord. None of what is happening in this world is a surprise to you. You knew that the counsel of the wicked would be loud and that the way of sinners, the seat of scoRers would be many. Thank you for providing us with a better Way. Thank you for inviting us to come sit close to you, listening to the richness of your voice and knowing the presence of your love through the power of your words. I pray that we would take you up on your invitation for us to delight in you and what you have to say to us. Help us to do this daily because you care for us.
In Jesus Name, amen.
