How Have You Experienced God’s Mercies

August 19, 2015

How Have You Experienced God’s Mercies

Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians with counsel we would all do well to heed: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). I believe Paul captured the very essence of the counsel of the psalmist in Psalm 1.

While some newer Bibles translate verse one gender neutral as “happy are those” or “blessed are those”, the original text uses a word that is very gender specific and should be translated, “Blessed is the man.” Jesus is this perfect man who delights “in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” As followers of Jesus, yielding ourselves to be transformed to become like him, Psalm 1 gives us a clear example of how to order our lives. Seriously? Is it really possible for a mortal human being to get excited about meditating on God’s law day and night?

When the Psalmist refers to ‘the law’ they do not mean just the Ten Commandments or other rules and regulations aimed at restricting certain behaviors. They mean law, as in God’s nature. God is love. God’s nature is to forgive. God’s law includes His love that cannot fail; His Word that does not return to Him void; and His mercies that never come to an end. The Psalmist has in mind the law of God that looked at a world that did not exist and spoke it into being by the power of His Word. The law of God is summed up in one verse: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Psalmist pronounces God’s blessing on those who take time to reflect on all the ways you have experienced God’s law, His nature in your life. Mediate on how you have experienced His mercies and forgiveness, His favor and how you know God to be your Shepherd. Take time to remember that the LORD watches over your path and then you will agree with the Psalmist in saying “Oh, the joys of those who delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2 NLT).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.