Listen

The truly happy person doesn’t follow wicked advice, doesn’t stand on the road of sinners, and doesn’t sit with the disrespectful.

Instead of doing those things, these persons love the Lord’s Instruction, and they recite God’s Instruction day and night!

They are like a tree replanted by streams of water, which bears fruit at just the right time and whose leaves don’t fade. Whatever they do succeeds.

Psalm 1:1-3

Think

Boom! Right out of the gate, the first words of the first Psalm give us a clear choice: we can travel on a road with sinners and disrespectful people, OR we can choose a path by streams of water, with lots of trees, fruit, happiness, and success. Maybe it’s a silly question, but which would you pick?

We don’t just wake up one morning and find ourselves on a path — instead, we have to pack our bags, hop in the car, and travel there. But how do you get to the streams and happiness? And how do you get to the road of sinners? Can GPS get me there?

Luckily, the writer of the Psalms immediately gives us two maps. To get to one path, just follow wicked advice. To get to the other path, just follow God’s instruction. Ok, seems simple: do God-like things, not wicked things. Right?

Well, yes and no. We first must understand what makes something wicked and uncaring. And we likewise have to meditate on God’s instruction so we know what it is God wants us to do.

Erin Spengeman Hutchison

Pray

God, help me to hear and learn your instruction so I can find my way to the streams and happiness — the pathway to you.

Amen.

Go

As you go today, choose the loving path of God, remembering that God will guide you.