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

What does it feel like to experience true delight? I live in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. Every now and then, I’ll drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the top of Water Rock Knob. At an altitude of almost 6,300 feet you can see for 50 miles in any direction. On a clear late spring day, the mountains below look like ripples on a green ocean and the sky above seems a deep hue of blue. When I moved to North Carolina almost 27 years ago, I remember my dumbstruck amazement when standing on the top of this mountain. All I could do was smile and take it in – it was a true delight.

Maybe today’s verses are a call to hear and follow God’s word with dumbstruck amazement. To be “all in.” A call to delight in God’s word and law is a call to a life that looks like Jesus. Are you up for it?

Bill Ogletree

Pray

God, help me to find delight and happiness in your word. Shape me into your image so others see Jesus in me. Amen.

Go

The Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, wrote:

“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.” (in Love and Living, 1965)

Go now and find happiness and God’s love in the community of others.