Which path will you take?

By Dean Collins

God is not surprised by anything we are experiencing in our current culture, American politics, the economy, or world conflict. Not only is he not surprised by this moment, he made a plan for us in how to deal with this moment. His plans work for every generation and in every moment. 

One aspect of God’s eternal plan involved providing us with the “living and active” word of God. Consider Hebrews 4:12:

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

There are numerous scholars, journalists, political and economic strategists who weigh in on what we must do to solve the plethora of challenges in our world today. As with most things, there are some aspects of truth in many of their ideas, but none contain the whole truth on any topic or situation. Last I checked, no current leader or strategist is omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent.

I suspect that the first and best thing we might do in figuring out how to live in and impact the challenges of our generation is to start with ourselves. Our spiritual grounding and formation are critical to seeing our challenges from a worldview that is God-centered versus man-centered. Don’t forget that just as our theology includes God as the creator of all with a grand plan of redemption and restoration for creation, the psalmist reminds us that God literally “knit us together” in our mother’s womb:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

So think for a moment. We have an eternal God who has put his divine plan in motion. This God in whom we have placed our trust formed us in the womb, so he has known us since our beginning. He has provided for us a living and breathing word which, by the way, is greater than the Constitution we tend to revere so strongly. Maybe then our starting place is to consider the truth of how we are to live our lives so that we align with God’s plans for us and our world.

Psalm 1 contains some basic yet divine instructions for how we can approach life and this day. Ultimately, this psalm explains two different ways to be human. Two paths that we can take. The first path is one that reflects the life of God. The alternate path is the path of the wicked.

If we want to experience the life of God, we will not seek the counsel of the wicked, practice the ways of the wicked, or set our values and decisions based on what the wicked do or propose. What will bring us a life of joy now and later is all about where we choose to be planted. The psalmist gives the example of what makes a tree healthy: roots near streams of water, which results in a harvest in due season and stays perpetually alive.

But the wicked do not experience this eternal flourishing. They will not survive the time of judgment, and they will be rejected by the congregation of the those who are living in harmony with God and his ways.

This is life-centering and life-changing advice. Wisdom from God, which if we choose to ignore or only apply occasionally, can have tragic consequences.

We must be careful to not follow the counsel of, stand in alignment with, or become partners with what the Bible calls scoffers. A scoffer is one who does not believe God’s word and who makes it a practice to ridicule or mock the beliefs of those who do. If we are rooted in God’s life and in his word ,we will have the discernment to know when those who want our money, our vote, or believe they have the right path for us or the world are following the life of God or are cleverly disguising themselves but in reality are scoffers.

In the brokenness of our world, we can still find a firm foundation in Jesus and his word. When we choose to follow ways of Jesus, we will become light to others. The great news for believers is this: God has called us to join him in his grand redemption, restoration, and renewal plan. He commissioned us to be his ambassadors and participate in discipling the nations. The more we follow his commands, the closer the day comes when Christ will return in glory.

Father, today we hear your word which tells us of our choice to plant ourselves in you as our source of life so that we can bear fruit in your kingdom. Forgive us for the times we have given into temptation and been influenced by the counsel of those your word calls scoffers. We pray that our lives would be filled with your righteousness, and that we would live humbly, love deeply, and practice justice in all we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 1:1-6 ESV

Photo by Vladislav Babienko on Unsplash
Photo by Zach Reiner on Unsplash
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