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.

Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV)

It is easy to be distracted by the ways of this world. Society has found a way to infuse today’s culture with unbiblical teaching and wickedness. It takes true strength to walk in the ways of the Lord and not fall astray. This strength can only come from the power of God working through us.

There is the way of the world and then there is also the way of the Word. The way of the world is independence from God. Nowadays, the culture of the world is to be your own person and not rely on others. While in some ways, it is good to be independent, it is not good to be independent of God.

It is only by our reliance on the Lord that we can get through the day. We cannot earn salvation, but it is freely given to us by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins. If we are not dependent on that gift, we fall into the ways of the wicked, and eventually into eternal condemnation.

The alternative is a life of dependence on the delight of God’s divine instruction in the Law. The righteous referred to in this passage of Psalms recognize the poverty of the world’s wisdom and values. We must focus our lives on God’s revealed Word. This is the life of faith that leads to blessing, fruitfulness, and fellowship with God now and forever.

Delight is a response of the heart to the beauty and value of God’s Word. Meditation involves careful sustained thought. It takes work and involves the will. It is not easy, but this is what we are called to do in order to fight against the ways of the wicked. We must seek God and pray to him for guidance and instruction.

This week, find ways to meditate on God’s Word. Take some time to engage in fellowship with him, so that you can steer away from the counsel of the wicked and instead embrace the love of the Father