WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE AVOID SIN AND FILL OUR MINDS WITH GOD’S WORD?

Psalm 1 tells us that the blessed man chooses to avoid evil in all its forms, and rather delights himself in God’s word.  He fills his mind with it.  He ponders it constantly and lives it out by God’s enabling grace. 

Verse 3 of Psalm 1 tells us the results of avoiding sin and filling our minds with God’s word. “And he will be like a tree transplanted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.”

The psalmist compared the faithful individual to a tree transplanted by channels of water.  What would happen to such a tree that grew along a nice river bed?  It would put its roots down deep into the fertile soil. It would drink up the refreshing water and channel its renewing properties throughout the tree.  And it would bear fruit – lots of good, delicious, wonderful fruit—in the proper season.  Its leaves would not wither.

What was the psalmist saying by his picture of a tree?  Simply this:  the blessed man is like this tree.  He puts his roots down deep into the word of God, and God’s word provides him with a sure foundation and spiritual nutrients for great growth.  The blessed man brings forth a life of righteousness that stands the harshest of life’s trials. He becomes all that God intended him to be.  God accomplishes His perfect will in the life of the blessed man.

What happens when we choose to avoid sin and fill our minds with God’s Word?  We open the door to becoming all God wants us to be.  The Holy Spirit works through our attitudes and actions to accomplish His purposes.  We will yield fruit in our time – spiritual fruit for the Kingdom of God.  This was Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers – that they would be continually bearing spiritual fruit for the Lord.  It is God’s desire for us. 

“In all that he does, he prospers,” is the last line of verse 3.  Does this mean that any business venture I attempt, or athletic event I compete in, or new recipe I try, is going to turn out perfect?  No, but it means that the blessed man becomes tuned to God’s will, and God prospers his way because it is really God’s way, bringing glory to God.

 Dr. Bryan Beyer
Dean of CIU's College of Arts and Sciences