1 Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
King David in Psalm 1 compares good and evil and gives us a slightly different picture than Paul in chapter one of his letter to the Romans. David pictures those who choose good, who seek the wisdom of God, and surrounds themselves with good people, these people are like trees planted by a river. We worked in famine relief camps in northern Kenya, in the desert. We knew where the riverbeds were even in the dry season because trees would grow up along the banks of the gullies full of green leaves. David describes these people as fruitful and productive. They delight in the law of God and don’t spend time with scoffers. Wicked people are like chaff that dries up and is blown away.
Maybe a tree is not the image that comes to your mind when you think of the blessings of being in relationship with God. Maybe being unashamed like Paul does not excite you either. There are many images that speak to the power, the fulfillment, the being right with life and the giver of life. What image works for you? A beautiful flower in a bouquet? A team of dogs racing in harmony in the Diderot? Dolphins swimming and jumping out of the sea? Pick an image and describe it. Perhaps even sketching it in your journal would be a fun exercise. What would be the opposite? Thank God that you can call on him and partner with him through faith. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 