The God-Centered Life

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Psalms 1:1-2

This is a description of the God-centered life. It begins with the word Happy. In our version the word is Blessed, but blessed is one of those code words which only Christians use — it really means happy. Here is the secret of happiness. He gives us a description of this man's life, both negatively and positively.

First is the negative: who does not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit in the company of mockers. This is a description of unbelievers. Notice also the progress of evil, speaking of the wicked, of sinners, and of the mockers. The ungodly are characterized by a totally different way of life. To walk is a reference to the decisions which must be made all day long. We take steps all day long, making decisions about all kinds of matters. That is walking, taking a series of steps. To stand is a picture of the commitments we make to various causes. We give ourselves to certain things, we take our stand upon certain matters. To sit is a picture of the settled attitude of the heart, the continuous disposition of life.

Now look at the positive side: but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. Here is the reason why this man is able to reject the world's philosophy. It is because he has learned to delight in the law of the Lord. The law of the Lord is another name for the Scriptures. It includes the whole revelation of God. This godly person has learned that in the book of God he is given a completely different view of life than what he gets from the world. In the book of God he is told the truth about life. He has learned to delight in the fact that here is a book that tells him the truth and shows him a whole new way of life; and more than that, it reveals a power by which he can fulfill it.

When he says he has learned to meditate on God's law day and night, he does not mean that he goes around thinking about the Scriptures and repeating them over and over all day long. What it means is that this person has learned that a wonderful new life is made possible by God and is available for any situation. Whenever he needs strength, he draws upon the Lord for it. He does not attempt to mobilize his resources or to find some kind of encouragement from outsiders, and thus to depend upon external circumstances for peace and rest; he learns to draw only upon the strength of God. This is what makes the difference. This is the secret of the godly life. This is the way any of us can learn to be selfless, obedient, and cheerful under every circumstance.

Lord, we thank you for having come to teach us the way of godliness, and to show us in your Word how your life can be manifest in us. Amen.