While I am going back to answer the questions I asked in my meditations on the Book Of the Psalms I am also moving forward with new meditational questions concerning the Book of Proverbs.
1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
More than four years ago I embarked on a meditational journey through the Psalms. My practice has been to move verse by verse through the book asking meditational questions of my readers. You have come up with some great answers over the years, but I have provided few.
I have now finished the journey of asking and I am now beginning the journey of thinking on and answering my own questions through the Psalms. Let’s begin:
On May 19th 2016 in my evening meditation I asked…
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, Psalm 1:1,12
HOW DO I GET OUT OF THE WAY OF SINNERS AND STILL LIVE IN THE WORLD?
Paul the apostle told us we were to be “in the world but not of the world.” It is not our relationships that matter but our influences. I am called to love people…all people like God loves them. I cannot love someone and not be in relationship with them. I know….I know….there are two problems with this. First I cannot be in relationship with everyone. It is physically impossible. So can I love everyone? Not by that definition, but I can love the people I am with. I can love the people God gives me exposure to. Secondly there are people whom it is not safe for me to be in relationship with because they are abusive, or because I am so weak, they corrupt me.
So we are back to our original question,
HOW DO I GET OUT OF THE WAY OF SINNERS AND STILL LIVE IN THE WORLD?
I have to admit that there are some people who are negative influences not healthy relationships. Further, because they are negative influences, my being around them causes me to stumble. When I am around them I find myself walking in step with the wicked.
The only answer is to admit my weakness as my own, and to bring it to God. He is the deliverer. I must trust Him to deliver me from my own weakness of following the crowd. Then, I must leave the crowd behind, at least until such time as I am strong enough to handle it.
More than four years ago I embarked on a meditational journey through the Psalms. My practice has been to move verse by verse through the book asking meditational questions of my readers. You have come up with some great answers over the years, but I have provided few.
I have now finished the journey of asking and I am now beginning the journey of thinking on and answering my own questions through the Psalms. Let’s begin:
On May 19th 2016 I opened with this….
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked Psm. 1:1
WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM THE INFLUENCE OF WICKEDNESS AROUND YOU?
Over the years since I asked this question, God has had me on a journey of self discovery. In the process of walking this road I have learned that for me to guard my heart from the influence of the increasing wickedness of the world around me I have to live a life of prayer and biblical study that is: slower than the race pace of the world, constant in that the rhythm is both consistent and flexible and intentional in that it follows a plan laid out through prayer by God.
The three words slow, constant and intentional have become my mantra and my method of living a holy life. I know for a fact that this will not work for everyone…but it is my method.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Why does praise with instruments close off the Psalms?
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Talk to me about the Lord’s mighty heavens and what they tell us about God.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Lillie-Put 