Dear Members and Friends of IBCZ,
We are now several weeks into 2020. I hope the year has gotten off to a good start for you. At this time of year, one passage of Scripture is especially relevant – Psalm 1. Verses 1-3 read:
1 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,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Verse one tells us what not to do – to allow the thinking, values, attitudes and behaviors of those who do not follow the Lord to influence our lives.
Verse two highlights what we are to do – to delight in God’s law, which really includes all that God has revealed to us in His word. It includes the truth about who God is – is holiness, faithfulness, grace, justice, mercy, and love. It centers on God’s redeeming work for his through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for us. It moves on to how we are to live in light of who God is and His love for us – loving God and others, the nature of our character, our obedience to God, etc.
Verse three pictures for us the result of living this way – we will be like trees planted by the water. A tree planted by the water thrives for it is able to soak up the water and nutrients from the soil, so it produces fruit and its leaves do not wither. The more we absorb the truth of God’s word and live on the basis of it, we will be able to produce meaningful and lasting fruit, doing the things that have eternal value and bring us a sense of joy.
What a great thing it would be if we all determine to live this way throughout 2020, any beyond.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Bob