Compromise slowly progresses to full on rebellion. We see it in Psalm 1.
First we walk in the counsel of the world, turning one ear to society and pondering its perception of love, marriage, sex, or money. Like when I decide to watch some TV show that completely slanders my God. And I wince at the blasphemy. Until I linger. Until I watch it again.
Then our feet stop. We stand for a while, both ears listening to the world’s definition of truth. And what used to be preposterous now holds our attention. It boosts our self-ego and pets our pride, encouraging us to take a seat.
flickr photo credit: wonderlane
And if we continue to run from His arms of mercy, then we sit. We point and belittle what we once held dear. We turn our face from the One who designed us. And in the end we look like the scoffers hurling insults at that One being nailed to a wooden beam. And it can began with a single compromise.
I desire to be like that tree that bears fruit even in the midst of drought. I want my kids and husband to see His reflection in me. But unless my mind stays fixed on His Word and His ways I will become like the chaff that the wind drives away. (Psalm 1:4) Unless I delight in His Word, I will rebel. We will rebel.
So how do you remain diligent to delight in God’s Word?
What “rewards” have you seen in your own life as you choose to meditate on true things?
For those who participate in the “Run To Him” study, what did you glean from the text this week?
The photo says SO much, Lara. And the way you lay out the progression makes me understand it clearer.
How do I remain diligent to delight in His Word? I have to choose to. Every day. “Delighting” in something isn’t an unconscious decision, but an intentional one. I don’t always succeed at it, but I want to want to.
The rewards are both present and future. Staying close to the Living Water source keeps us from getting spiritually dehydrated. And it helps us bear juicier fruit in the long run.
That photo speaks volumes, doesn’t it?! Blessings to you, sister!
Oh, I so agree. That photo along with the paragraph Lara writes before it really lays out what can happen! So powerful.
I’ve done that exact thing of watching a show once and kept watching even though it was obviously against God’s ways. You’ve created a picture in my head as to how and what happens in the process of compromise and how easily it happens. I think that will help in staying away from such influences. Thank you.
Meditating day and night…streams of water has shown me why I’m not flourishing as I could be and that I need to find ways to cultivate this habit especially amongst nights of broken sleep.
Broken sleep can be so difficult. Praying He gives you wisdom and trusting Him to be grace.
Perfectly Said!! O, how I truly delight in HIS Words! I once lived my life apart from Christ. Empty, broken and in complete darkness. So Grateful for HIS Merciful Kindness, HIS Gentle LOVE. HE is our True source of JOY and HOPE. I lay my life down O Precious LORD!
I must stay in HIS WORD because that Old Nature is always lurking. I must give HIM this rebellious heart of mine daily. Complete surrender.
HERE I am LORD, Take me as i am. Shape me, mold me, transform me by your Transforming Power.
HE is so Worthy of all our praise. ♥
I just want to say, “Preach it, Vanessa!” love it.
I like your comment Lisa. This Psalm speaks of “the two ways” that are set before me (Deut 30:19) and I must make a conscious choice, a deliberate choice with my intellect and not just based on how I feel. I fail often. I want to make the right choices, but on my own I cannot even do this! I need His grace even for making the right choice, and that is why prayer is so necessary. I need to ask Him to help me to make the decision and to be faithful.
So desperate for His grace!
I am a little behind but getting caught up. One of the things that struck me tonight is that it says we delight in God’s law. Not we must delight in it or we need to train ourselves to delight in it, but that we DO delight in it…in other words, He knows best. It is when we follow His ways and His plans and walk His path that we delight. Lara, you had a good quote one time on your blog that sums up how I am feeling, I may dig around and try to find it…will post here if I do.
Thank you for creating this study…I printed it in color today and bound it…I’m not gonna lie, the hot pink adds a little something something :)
Ha. Yes, the bright pink really adds somethin’ somethin’. Thanks to Katie for designing the logo!
And I think what you are remembering is when I say that God allows things or speaks things for His glory and our good.
Argh, can’t find it…I should have saved it! Basically it said that God gives us rules/guidelines/whatever you want to call it for His glory but also for our best. I am totally butchering that, but I’m tired so that will have to do…Lara if you have any clue what I am talking about, repost :)
What impacted me the most is something a few others have mentioned here. In verse 2, we’re not called “just” to meditate and study His Word (though that MUST be part of it!), but we are also called to (in addition) DELIGHT in His Word. So instead of feel like study as part of a “to-do list” or meditate yet still worry, fear, forget, etc., I am to DELIGHT in His truths and His commands. What a difference that makes!
As usual, I’m already loving this study.
Thank you for this reminder. When we don’t take care of our treasures, those treasures can disappear. Isn’t that what Gods word is to us, a treasure. A priceless gift, more precious than rubies. We must be diligent in our walk, honest in our lives. We must take the steps necessary to refrain from compromise. It is a daily choice and action. I like this quote borrowed from my cousin:
You can be ungodly and still be good, but you can’t be Godly without being changed for good.
The way of the ungodly shall perish.
I definitely had somethings run through my head this week due to the study. Who do I long to spend time with? What blogs do I follow, music I listen to, shows I watch, friends I choose to be friends with on FB? How am I glorifying God in all of this? There needs to be a change :] Have a wonderful week!
Becky
I thought of that too, Becky. Where I am walking? What am I meditating on? Where am I rooted?
It all matters, and affects our relationship with Him.
What stuck with me the most is “And in his law does he meditate day and night.” When I start my day with the Lord, I keep the Lord close to me throughout the day. I talk to him constantly, sing his praises, and quote scripture (I’m slowly memorizing!). By doing this, it’s easier to be righteous and godly throughout the day. When I end my day with the Lord, I put aside any troubles or burdens and DELIGHT in His Word. I feel at peace and look forward to tomorrow.
But all of this is a choice. I have to want to meditate and delight in His Word. It’s not easy; some days I want a few extra minutes of sleep. But nothing good, promising or fruitful is easy, or without struggle.
By the way, I’m really exicted for this Bible study! A few weeks ago I stumbled across Scripture Dig and saw that blog was merging with this one. So I’m new here and this is the first online Bible study I’ve done. Super-encouraged and inspired. Thanks!
“But nothing good, promising or fruitful is easy, or without struggle.” so true, Brindi!
I’m glad you found us, and am looking forward to studying Psalms with you!
This reminds of something John Piper said in his book A Hunger For God which I’m reading right now. (I’m not quoting word for word) but he said its not the poison but the apple pie an it’s not the x rated video but the dribbles of prime time that we drink in every night. I have not stopped thinking about this since I read 2 weeks ago. It goes exactly with what you said about deciding to watch a tv show and over look the worlds slander in it. So convicting. God is trying to draw His people to Him. This was great. Thank you
This past week has been wonderful – really grabbing onto the promises and realizing that I have to be IN HIS word to hold on to those promises and not allow the lies to penetrate me. It is so easy as you suggest in your example of allowing the “outside” to influence and overtake our thinking and get us drifting away.
I think this Psalm really stopped me at “Blessed is the man…” Everything else hinged on that for me. I sat with a weeping friend who cried out about why she isn’t experiencing any blessing, why she feels so dry and so empty. She had begged the Lord to bless her and wanted to know what the hold up is. Psalm 1 made it very clear; we looked at how God wants her to sit, stand, walk in the path of blessing, but how there’s so much loss when we choose not to. What an appropriate photo to illustrate US! O, I want to be blessed! And here is the way.
Being intentional is hard. But at it’s most basic level, rubbish in=rubbish out. I don’t always succeed, but trying to keep my input pure keeps my output more where it should be. And the Psalm? I got from it that there are seasons even in a day- there is a time for rest. God has shown me this week that rest is not my enemy. On the contrary, if I am well-rested, i can bear better fruit!
“if I am well-rested, i can bear better fruit!” a lesson we can ALL learn again and again!
For me it was so important to read “who meditates on his law day and night” For me, I feel like I always *want* to read the Bible more during the day, and pray more during the day, but for some reason I don’t. This week I chose to wake up early, and really take the quiet time that my mind needs. I have had a wonderful week because of that. Taking the time to pray first, before lashing out, has helped so much, and the Psalms that were chosen for the week were perfect. I constantly thought of those when my fuse started to get a little short with my kids. Looking forward to continuing the rest of this challenge!
I enjoyed so much dwelling on Psalm 1 this week. The Psalmist speaks of the prosperity of those who delight in God’s Word – “in all he does, he will prosper.” This reminded me of John 15, when Jesus says:
“I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
I think the “prosperity” that the Psalmist is speaking of could be ANYTHING that God allows us to do. Because apart from Him, we can’t do ANYTHING well.
Great observations, Kristi!
I remembered reading Psalm 1 in the past and thinking that the “counsel of the ungodly, path of sinners and seat of the scornful” were to be associated with literal people, however, this week as I let God open my eyes to the work he is trying to do in me, I realize that this can be a worldly way of thinking or activities (music, tv, movies) that come from a worldly p.o.v. We are a family with one vehicle and I am a SAHM (struggling with PPD) of a 3.5 year old and 6 month old so God really showed me how I was allowing myself to compromise. TV is such a big one for me b/c I feel stuck at home all day and I’ve used it as an escape for so long. God, in His lovingkindness, showed me this part of me and has already done such a wonder in my heart and mind.
I am just so thrilled that God is meeting with little ole’ me in the mornings. He is so faithful, and I pray that I can continue to be faithful to Him.
I have struggled being a stay at home mama as well. Last year was especially difficult, having my second baby. I was thrown out of the way I was able to do things with just my daughter (also 3.5). My son is now 17 months, and I am trying to be more intentional this year. The Hello Mornings Challenge is a big part of that. I didn’t feel like I had any time to myself last year at all, and now my husband and I have instituted one night a week where we each can have a couple hours of “hobby” time, although my hobby time tends to be me sitting in a chair for an hour and a half in silence, but it is wonderful! You are in my prayers!
Thanks, Heather! Alone time for myself is something I definitely need to make priority. It’s so nice to know that I am not alone in these struggles!
Oh, ladies, you are SO not alone.
Here is a bit of my journey, if you care to read:
http://www.livingdevotionally.com/2011/07/connecting-what-i-know-to-what-i-feel/
http://www.livingdevotionally.com/2011/06/the-missing-piece/
http://www.livingdevotionally.com/2011/11/i-cant-do-this/
http://www.livingdevotionally.com/2011/11/my-struggle-with-being-a-stay-at-home-mom/
Praying He brings encouragement through your journey through the Psalms!
I’m chiming in late, but we just returned from vacation late last night. :)
I love psalm 1 and everyone has had some great comments thus far- very challenging!
My first thoughts of psalm 1 are always ‘be a tree!’
Several years ago I did a study/morning devotions with my 4 children where we looked up all the passages in the Bible about trees. This passage in psalm 1 was our inspiration. It was such a wonderful study that lasted for several weeks. We ended it with the consensus that ‘be a tree!’ was a great reminder of how God wants us to behave- the inward heart (roots) and the outward behavior (leaves and fruit.) I told them I’d say be a tree!’ to them as my secret code to remind them to behave in public. ha ha!
As we have been weathering some ‘storms’ and ‘heat’ around here the last 2 years or so, I have often thought of ‘be a tree.’
Even though this psalm starts off with some good warnings of what to stay away from, I can’t help but be drawn to the PROMISE- if you keep seeking after God, He WILL be that hidden reservoir. Every. Time.
My dry and thirsty soul can turn once again towards Christ- knowing His supply is always there! Circumstances can swirl around, but my roots go down deep and drink again of living water. My thoughts go on and on thinking about roots effecting leaves and fruit… but I’ll stop there and just say- I’m getting ready for another week of ‘Hello Morning’ and ‘being a tree!’
I love the promises in this psalm – oh, how I want to be fruitful! I’m a new stay-at-home mommy and have struggled the past 6 months with redefining my concept of purpose and fruitfulness, but this passage reminds me that when I am in Christ, in his word, all that I do, even the mundane mama things, are on fire with God’s purposes. As I choose to dwell on Him and His truths, my soul is anchored, and my course is set.
I love how John Piper sums up fruitfulness. This is my prayer going in to this next week; that I could be more like this, through Christ’s life in me;
“If you delight in the Word of God and meditate on it day and night you will yield your fruit in season. You will be a fruitful person. O for more fruitful people! You know them. They are refreshing and nourishing to be around. You go away from them fed. You go away strengthened. You go away with your taste for spiritual things awakened. Their mouth is a fountain of life. Their words are healing and convicting and encouraging and deepening and enlightening. Being around them is like a meal. This is the effect of delighting in the Word of God and meditating on it day and night. You will yield fruit in season.”
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/meditate-on-the-word-of-the-lord-day-and-night
And in His law doth he meditate day and night …
I meditate on something day and night anyway, I usually call it “pondering” (if I’m trying to act spiritual) or “worrying”(if I’m being totally honest). What a better thing to meditate on than the Word of God! I really enjoyed your thoughts on the progression of walk, stand, sit. My husband preached a message on that some time back. Great minds think alike, huh?! :)
Reading this post brought to mind another Psalm which I once drew inside a picture of a television to illustrate the same point as yours. Thanks for the reminder.
Psalm 101 (taken from vs. 3b-4a) “I will walk in my house with a blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing.”
Recently bought the ESV study bible. A note about the tree bearing fruit totally caught me off guard.
“a tree bears fruit, not for itself, but for others.”
I’d somehow always thought by bearing fruit, I was reaping the benefits of deeper relationship with God – which I am reaping – but now I realize it blesses those in my path. How encouraging!
I loved the picture and paragraph to follow. It really spoke to me this morning. I feel that I must begin my day with His word then have those reminders throughout my day so that I stay in tune with His word for me. I love music that draws me to Him.
I was struck by the comment about bearing fruit. I always thought that I would remain in him and bear good fruit for my benefit, but I realized this week that it would be for the benefit of others. And in turn I am blessed.
I am work more on my mediating day and night-keeping my mind fixed on God.
Your post brought Psalm 1 to life for me. It’s so easy to read the Bible and not search for what it really means to life today. The picture you painted of pausing to look at a television show then getting drawn in made me think of other areas where it’s just as easy to get “caught up.”
This study of Psalm 1 challenged me to really think through and face ways that I am walking in the “counsel of the wicked” according to the wisdom of the world, and I was very convicted of some lies I was believing about myself that led to beauty addictions.
I blogged further about those things, titled “Tan Lines and Barbie Lies” if you’re interested in reading more: http://growinginashrinkingculture.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/tan-lines-and-barbie-lies/
Thanks for putting this study together!
When I was reading this last week I was only thinking about not associating with certain people. I did not take it to not associating with wordly things until I read this post. But that is so true. Our televisions and the music we listen to can certainly be “the counsel of the wicked.” And we seldom fall away from God’s plan all at once – it is lots of little small steps away. Before we know it God is so far from us we no longer see him. I certainly want to guard myself from this.
For me being consistent helps my prayer life. There seems to be feelings of condemnation that aren’t there when you are consistent in His presence.
I absolutely love Psalm 1. The contrast between rooting myself in God’s Word and neglecting it is so dramatic. I can prosper in God’s will and bear fruit or be blown away like chaff in the wind. I want to be that tree planted by stream of water!
I loved how you showed the progression of sin through the walk, stand, sit. Compromise starts with a step, and can be stopped dead in its tracks by a single step in repentance. I have to remember when I am tempted to compromise, if I compromise I am choosing to live by a lower standard than God’s best for my life–to be like that glorious tree planted by the streams of water. That tree of Psalm 1:3 is exactly what I want for my life. I can’t imagine anything worth compromising that would be worth forfeiting the blessings of Psalm 1:3. Thanks again for this post!