Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

I want blessing in my life. I do not want to be unblessed. I do not want to have the favor of God lift off of me, and that demands choice on my part. Responsibility. Decision.

Every day I am faced with moments of decision. Recognizing this is the mark of a man. Children shift blame and see all as the flowing stream of fate. They are never the “responsible moral agents.” And most adults act like children.

I cannot become like those who hate God. And even if we are only talking about someone who hates God deep down but looks good outwardly, I cannot become like them, either. And the more I become sinful – the more I choose to think and act in a way that I know is not pleasing to God – the closer I come to walking in the counsel of the wicked. There must always be a difference. Lord, please help there to be a difference.

I cannot give myself to negative things. Negative thoughts: they are so easy to give in to. How much time do I devote to thinking about horrible things, useless things, vindictive, jealous, vengeful, vain, selfish, worldly, carnal, pessimistic, hopeless things? Yes, and I can sense the effects of this thinking because when I think this way, I become more like a God-hater, more like a mocker, less like Jesus.

So Lord, I am asking that you would give me strength to decide in each moment to love Jesus and not myself. And the only way I will get there is to delight. It is a duty, delighting is.

I must delight.

I need to delight.

My very life depends on whether I find my joy in you; if I don’t, I will be hopelessly dissatisfied. I need to abide in you, to talk to you, to hear your voice, to be passionately involved in your word and your work. I need to read the Bible, to pray, to speak of you when I wake up and when I lie down, to love others, to share your love and grace with others, to change the world for you. This is the only way.

Jesus, you saved me. You went through such excruciation, and all for me. You were like the marathoner who sees only a finish line and not the pain before it, and so endures – and the finish line was my eternal happiness. How could I not delight in you?

Help me to believe the promises. Help me to delight in you, giver of all good gifts.

Help my unbelief, in each moment of decision.