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My wife has a green thumb: every room of our flat is filled with flourishing plant life. She works constantly at keeping our plants healthy, but I often think it’s more than just proper watering and sunlight that help them prosper. It’s her constant company, good spirit, and joy-filled hope that feed their health.
This opening to the psalmist’s collection states a theme that will run throughout the psalms, which is that a person who delights in and cherishes godly principles and reflects on them, making them a part of their life during the day and the night, will be blessed in ways that lead to their endeavors prospering.
The imagery used is of a tree planted by a flowing stream that yields seasonal fruit and does not wither away. In the same way, we can think of God as a Gardener who tends to His people, giving them everything they need to thrive. He gives us principles throughout Scripture and is constantly at work nourishing what He has planted into the soil of our lives. We’re blessed by Him and can healthily prosper if we feed on what is graciously given. This is the abiding Truth of this psalm.
But the psalmist begins by framing this message as a warning, knowing how we might fail to keep ourselves planted by Living Water because of the deceptive ways of evil. In three visual images, the psalmist paints a picture of the progressive pull of what counters the Presence of God. First is the image of someone casually or unintentionally walking in step with wickedness, where they’re not fully engaged but are in close proximity to wicked things. Next comes the image of a person actively living a lifestyle of sin, or “standing in the ways that sinners take”. Instead of walking away, they’re now taking part in what is against God’s delight. And this leads to the third image of someone who fully sits in the company of mockers and actively ridicules what God has established.
The fact is that you are blessed if you protect yourself against this progressive allure of evil. God desires that any onslaught on you will not take hold because you actively find ways to delight in the Creator God, each and every day. Our God desires for all that He has created, including you, to prosper and flourish.
God, as I enter this Lent season, I desire to be healthy and prosper in my life. Please assist me to drink deep from Your Living Water as I delight in and meditate on You, Lord, day and night. Amen.
Jesus spent 40 Days fasting and seeking His heavenly Father. We remember the sacrifices of Christ during Lent and especially His epic sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. Lent is our 40 days of remembrance, reflection, self-examination, repentance, fasting, and preparation for the coming of Good Friday and Easter.
Our challenge is to join us in these 40 Days of Seeking God by practicing these principles, what are some ways you plan to do this?
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12 Responses
I am giving up sweets for LENT.
I have always been captivated by this Psalm ever since someone indroduced me to it, and the progression of going deeper into sin and farther from God. I definitely don’t want to be someone who walks, stands or sits in bad company. I definitely do want to delight myself in God’s laws so I can yield, leaf, and prosper.
Looking forward to seeking God
It was brought to my attention at Cr a couple weeks ago that Jesus used scripture to defend against the Devil.( I knew that part) He used the as it is written scriptures from the Old testament. I have saved these and will be memorizing them through this 40 days.
I am so thankful for the season of lent. I am fasting from my video games on phone which have become an addiction as well as goodies. I am going to work on continuing my education as well as exercise but most importantly doing an independent Bible study on prayer. I am using this time to devote time to my relationship with my Father in heaven as I desire to feel that connection. I have an urgent tug at my heart that I want more of him and less than the world. It is growing season in my Christianity. Blessed to be apart of EBC❤️🙏😇
Perfect start to day and to day one of 40 days
I want to know God. I want to spend quite time everyday reading the Bible and talking to him. And not just for 40 days my heart is begging for a peaceful, drama free life and I’m praying for his guidance to help me.
So I will be reading and praying and reaching out to him. And not drinking Diet Coke!!
One thing I heard on a podcast for men and getting back to the true meaning of masculinity was that doing periodic fasts from foods or activities will show you how addicted to it you are and how much of an idol it is in your life. Albeit was a secular podcast, they said 40 days was the time frame to fast. In conversation the other day with a coworker, we reaffirmed how during the fast, when temptation arises, it’s a perfect time to turn to prayer. It’s the perfect time to be humble and realize that I cannot do it without Him, I need Him, and with Him all things are possible.
Perfect end to our evening reading it together.
I am giving up all social media and games on my phone. I am going to read my bible more during the times I was always on my phone.
Having moved from a neighboring state away from family in fall of 22 I didn’t quite understand that God may have been putting me on a different path. What was living in Ashtabula, Ohio all year round going to be like away from people who I spent my entire life around. 2025 was a year of adhering to some changes that I felt God had placed on my heart through a prayer that had surfaced in the summer of 2024. Through the obedience of those changes, God has surrounded me with so many amazing people. I’ve experienced God‘s purpose of Christian community in my life. Not all was perfect, but life isn’t. Past. Lent seasons, I’ve made monetary and eating habits a focus, but this year, I think I’m going to focus much more on letting go and letting God by engaging more quality time with the scripture and not just checking it off the list. Of course to break my addiction from peanut butter and honey sandwiches. I am limiting myself to two slices of bread per day by cutting that consumption in half. Prayers that we all have a fulfilling Latin season together.
I have given up chocolate for 40 days.