“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:2-3).
So what makes for success in your running world? A new PR? Running a certain number of races a year? Achieving a certain rank in your favorite series standings? As Sly and the Family Stone said back in 1968, “different strokes for different folks” in their song, “Everyday People.”
But I mean, you--personally—in LIFE. What’s on the horizon for you long-term – the measures by which you’ll be able to say, “I’ve done a good job”? Power? Money? Fame or prestige?
Check this interesting column published in Forbes magazine a couple of years ago. The author describes the “old American ladder of success” this way: “There used to be a ladder to success. It was the college→good job→marriage→house→family→cushyretirement. ” http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2012/01/23/happiness-is-the-new-success-why-millennials-are-reprioritizing/
Enter the discussion by King David, some 3,000 years ago. He used the word “blessed.” The very word suggests: 1) there is a true and living God; 2) who can and will make a difference in your life; 3) in such a beneficial way, well, he calls it “blessed!” BLESSED is the man who’s “delight is in the law of the Lord.” Quite an amazing proposition there. Make the Lord and the love of His Word a delight in your life and … the Lord will bless you. Blessed. Anointed. Favored by your Maker and Creator of all.
When you immerse yourself in God’s Word (the Bible), and allow it to saturate your soul, and delight yourself in it (note: there’s a difference between delighting in the Word, and tending it as a chore—or even ignoring it completely), David says you will be “like a tree firmly planted by streams of water.” This tree: 1) yields for its fruit in its season – you will be productive in the things God has called you to; 2) “its leaf does not wither” – though there are lean and trying circumstances, you will not be void of what you need for the day; 3) (watch this one!) “and in whatever he does, he prospers.” Wow. Sounds good to me.
God’s plan is for you to excel in the purpose to which He has called you. Written centuries ago, David’s Psalm 1 brings us to a fork in the road where we must choose a path leading to meaning and purpose in life. One path is “wide and many enter by it;” the other path is “small, and its way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
So which path are you on? And where is the road you’re on taking you?