Everyone wants to prosper. As I was making goals for the New Year, God led me to Psalms.
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalms 1:1-3
A commentary by Matthew Henry reminded me that there is a surefire way to avoid prosperity. He said: “Omissions make way for commissions.” To have true prosperity, God’s Word must have free rein in every area of our lives, because His Word prevents sin. Sin kills everything good.
But, my friend, sin doesn’t typically begin with a scandalous act—it almost always begins with an omission.
An “omission” is a failure to do what the Bible says we are supposed to do. For example, when we neglect prayer, Bible reading, church commitment, service, selflessness, love, discipleship, or evangelism, we become vulnerable. Our soul begins to starve. Meanwhile, the ravenous monster of our flesh snaps and snarls—demanding to be fed.
But we often make excuses for the sins of omission. For example, if something “more important” needs to be done, we justify skipping time with God and tell ourselves, “we just don’t have time today.” The “more important” physical necessities replace the vital needs of the soul. If sins of omission become the norm, we WILL eventually cross over into… lying, stealing, cheating, jealousy, hate, and…“all the works of unrighteousness,” written about in Romans Chapter One.
Spiritual neglect is the doorway through which horrible destruction walks.
Romans 1:21-22 shows us how quickly this downward spiral happens even when we omit what we consider “small things” like “thankfulness” and glorifying God:
“because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were THANKFUL, but became FUTILE in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were DARKENED. Professing to be wise, they became FOOLS.”
The result of failing to be thankful is a darkened and foolish heart. The remainder of Romans 1 is a stark picture of how rapidly unthankfulness leads to complete moral collapse. God “gives them over” to the very desires they insist on pursuing, and the downward spiral ends in complete destruction. When we exchange the truth of God for the lies of the enemy, we rapidly devolve into a celebration of sin. Isn’t this exactly what we see in the majority of our world culture today?
The destruction of all real joy begins with unthankfulness.
But a thankful heart is a joyful heart. Gratitude anchors us in God’s Word, His mind, and His attitudes. Indeed, when we are born again, our inner man—which has been transformed by Him—desires His righteousness and His glory. Psalm 1 demonstrates the blessings of a life shaped by devotion to His Word:
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalms 1:1-3
One who delights in God’s Word is blessed, stable, fruitful, and flourishing. When we love God, we love His Word. When we love God, we desire to know what He thinks, says, and how He wants us to live. Then, we find our greatest satisfaction in thinking, speaking, and living ACCORDING to every part of His Word.
Everyone lives in strict obedience to what we love most.
Our enemies—which encourage us to worship the lusts of our flesh, the lusts of our eyes, and the pride of life—are cruel masters to love. (1 John 2:16) But when we “hide God’s Word in our heart,” as Psalm 119 teaches, His Word shapes the way we think, speak, and what we do. It aligns us with the mind and attitudes of God Himself. We begin to find disobedience abhorrent, and obedience brings great joy.
And there’s more—studying God’s Word is not simply an intellectual exercise—it is fellowship with God Himself.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
When we take God’s Word in, we are communing with Christ, who is the Living Word. Thus, when we meditate on Scripture “day and night,” as Psalm 1 commands, we are keeping ourselves in the presence of the One who loves us most.
When God’s Word becomes our greatest delight, and obedience to ALL His commands becomes our deepest desire, we taste the greatest of all human experiences: The manifest presence of God. His Word becomes interwoven with every conversation, every decision, every challenge, every moment of the day. We carry His presence into every place we go—and even when we sleep, because His Word comforts our mind. Psalm 1 tells us that such a person becomes fruitful as his “leaf does not wither.” The “fruit comes in its season” and “whatever he does prospers.”
Our eternal rewards begin with doing what we know is right.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for giving me Your Word as the anchor of my heart and the safeguard of my soul. Keep me from the deadly omissions that lead to hardness, darkness, and destruction. Give me a thankful spirit that delights in Your presence and finds joy in Your commands. Write Your Word so deeply into my mind, my desires, and my daily life that it shapes everything I do. Let my obedience spring from love, not obligation. Make me like that tree planted by rivers of water—fruitful, flourishing, and grounded in You. And may my life influence others for Your kingdom, bringing glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
