Psalm 1

I've probably read Psalm 1 tens of times before, but today I really read it. I didn't read it as a means to an end- to check off that I read today, but rather I read it because I needed to read God's word. Psalm 1 says "Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit in the company of mockers, but who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on his law day and night. They are like a tree planted by a stream of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgement nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will be destroyed."
Normally, I would probably read Psalm 1 and be thankful that I know the Lord and continue on to Psalm 2, and while that was still a predominant thought as I read, my second thought was saddness for those who don't. Psalm 1 says that those who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on His law are like a tree planted by a stream of water which produces fruit and whose leaves do not wither, whatever they do prospers. The psalmist is writing to people who lived in a desert climate that was parched. I can't imagine what they thought when reading about a life-giving stream in such an arid place. The experience that keeps coming to my mind is how thirsty I am after playing a game of soccer and how refreshing cold water is in that moment, and how much more refreshing to them that image must have been, where water is not as easily accesible. Jesus offers us that kind of refreshment. He tells us that the water He gives does not result in thirst again, but rather a never-ending spring that wells up inside us (John 4:14).
Psalm 1 also says that those who do not know the Lord are like chaff that the wind blows away. This is an agricultural image from the Old Testament times. After wheat had been crushed and the edible parts were removed, the remaining chaff was left to be blown away. The chaff is barren and fruitless. It's an emptiness that I remember from my life before I was saved. I had great moments of laughter and happiness, but I had no hope or purpose. It's a deep inner feeling that can not be described, only felt, and felt hard. I was filled with an emptiness that was draining me...I was like an arid desert with no water, but that all changed when I drank from the water offered to me by Jesus. I was redeemed and refreshed and there's a well building up inside me thats flowing with blessedness. I want that for everyone.
I was recently reading a book and there was a question that asked, what would you say to someone who is still trapped in a barren life and has never experienced the blessedness of God? My first reaction was what are you waiting for? You have no idea what you're missing. Drink up. :)

Week 7: Hindu Extremists attacked pastor Daniel inside his church in India. Pray for pastors.