Psalm 1- A Blessed Life

Part 1- What does it mean to be blessed?

How can we have the most blessed life possible? I believe God’s Word tells us in detail the answer to that question. I feel like this is something that I need to remind myself of often. As a Christian, I should be happy for the most part. Of course, none of us are happy 24/7. But, I should not let the daily aggravations of life get me down and steal my joy so often. I need to realize just how “blessed” I am to be a Christian. Also, it took me such a long time to realize how to lead a blessed life. I can claim to be a Christian with my words, but does my attitude show it? Does my demeanor show it?  Let’s begin to break down Psalm 1 and begin to truly see how to lead a “blessed life”. We all want that….right? What does “blessed” mean? Is being blessed simply just being happy?

Psalm 1:1 starts with the words “Blessed is the man (person)…”. So…what does it mean to be truly blessed in life? The first thing that most people think of when they hear someone say, “I’m blessed” is happiness. This is not completely wrong. Being blessed would include happiness at times, but the psalmist is not talking about a person’s feelings of happiness or sadness in this context. We know that we can be blessed within our lives, and yet still have times of great sadness. Being blessed means that we are content and satisfied with the life that we are living. It does not mean that our life is all sunshine and rainbows every single day. It is a deep fulfillment that comes from only one place…..God. It is knowing that everything is going to turn out fine no matter what happens to us. It is that feeling of security that we have in Christ. We are blessed when we decide to put our trust in God….and upon making that decision, we then have hope. 

We see a beautiful picture of what it means to be blessed in Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” 

If we are in Christ, we can face the trials of life that come our way. We can endure when the “heat comes” and face the “year of drought” as Jeremiah calls it without fear or anxiety, because we have hope in Christ. Some people consider themselves blessed if they have lots of money and material possessions, but that is not the meaning of the word blessed in Psalm 1:1. We know that rich people are sometimes the most unhappy people of all, because they look to earthly treasures for fulfillment. I feel certain that many of you have seen the show “Little House on the Prairie”. It is one of my favorite shows of all time. The Ingalls family is considered poor, and they are always struggling when it comes to money, but they are always joyful because of the love they have for God and one another. And they are always ready and willing to help others even though times are hard for them. On the other hand, there is the Olsen family. They own the only store in town, and are considered the richest family in Walnut Grove. However, Mrs. Olsen is one of the most miserable and selfish people that I’ve ever seen on television, and she is raising her daughter, Nellie, to be even worse than she is. Her husband Nels disagrees with her constantly, but can’t seem to do anything to change her ways. In one particular episode, when the Ingalls family had worked together to pay off their bill at the Olsens’ store, Nels Olsen tells Charles Ingalls that he thinks Charles is the “the richest man in Walnut Grove”. Charles then says, “Nels, I know I am.” Nels envied the way Charles’ family loved and respected him and each other, and pulled together as a family to get things done. They didn’t need material things to find joy and happiness. Money and things will never make a person happy. In fact, when people become greedy and selfish with money, it makes them miserable. Money is not even a part of having a blessed life. Can you have lots of money and still be blessed in the way that we are talking about? Yes, but only if you don’t care whether you lose the money or not. The rich young ruler was blessed financially, but went away saddened when Jesus told him that he would have to be willing to part with all of his riches in order to inherit eternal life. (Mark 10:17-27) His love of money brought him sadness. To be truly blessed is having the assurance found in Christ….the assurance that we will live in heaven with God for eternity. It reminds me of the words of one of my favorite hymns, “Blessed Assurance” by Fanny Crosby.

 “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! 

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

 Heir of salvation, purchase of God

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song!

Praising my Savior all the day long!

If this hymn doesn’t sound like a blessed person in Jesus, I don’t know what does. I love it! Singing this hymn with only our voices in unity, together with my sisters and brothers in Christ is a blessing all in itself. No instruments, no choir, no one singing a solo, no one being put on a pedestal above anyone else….just a group of Christians offering “the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name”. (Hebrews 13:15) When we worship God in song, do we sing as if we are the blessed people of God? I’m asking myself this question for sure. Do I sing with my spirit and sing with my understanding? (1 Corinthians 14:15) When I sing the words of the hymn “Blessed Assurance” in praise to God, do I truly mean what I am singing? Do I believe it? Every part of our worship to God is a blessing and a privilege, and plays a huge part in us having a “blessed” life. We are blessed if we belong to Christ’s church, and we are able to “worship Him in spirit and truth”. (John 4:24)  Becoming a Christian is only the beginning of leading a blessed life. But how do we stay in this “blessed” state? We will break down more of Psalm 1 to find out the answer to that question in my next post. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a blessed holiday on Monday. 

On a side note, I hope you will spend a little time thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and purpose, since Monday is a holiday commemorating him. If you haven’t listened to his “I Have a Dream Speech”, I hope you will. It is phenomenal. His quest was to bring our country together during a tumultuous time in history. He only wanted everyone to be treated fairly no matter their race. His vision was for us to live in a world where people would not judge one another by the color of their skin, and he was murdered because of that vision. God made all of us. He does not see color, therefore we should not either. God looks at the heart of a person, as should we. (1 Samuel 16:7)  Love you all!

Have you started your “blessed” life in Christ yet? If you need help understanding how to be saved, please reach out. I can help you or put you in contact with someone who can help you.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for mankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)