Monday Meditation
March 16, 2015
From the desk of Dr. A.J. Higgins
The Blessed Man
“Blessed is the Man that …”
Psalm 1
Psalm 1 begins the Psalter. It is a fitting introduction to all that follows. It is the “seed plot” for the Psalms. It presents to us God’s ideal Man. There was really only one Perfect Man; there was really only One Normal Man. He was all that a man should be. He gave to God all that man ever should have given Him of love out of a full heart, mind, soul, and strength.
This Psalm reminds us of the postures which marked Him. He is seen walking, standing, and sitting. When we think of Him walking, we think of His activities. He never walked in the counsel of ungodly men (John 7:3-5) but always in the will of His God. The will of God was His meat and His great purpose in coming into the world. While traversing the distance from heaven to earth, He could say, “Lo, I come to do Thy will.” (Hebrews 10:9).
When you think of a man standing, you are thinking about availability. He was never available for sinners as far as their sin; but He was always accessible and available for their needs. The poor, the destitute, the prostitute and publican all knew where to find Him. No prolonged searches were needed to discover His whereabouts.
Sitting suggests a person’s attitude. He did not sit in the seat of the scornful. When He sat at Sychar’s well, He was full of compassion and care, not scorn. The people of the city may well have looked with disdain and scorn on the woman who came to draw water at high noon; but not the Saviour. He was seeking a worshiper for the Father. Trace Him sitting in Matthew’s Gospel and see the gracious words that came from His lips.
Little wonder then that He is described as a tree that “brings forth fruit in its season.” Everything about this Man was seasonable, fruitful, and perfect.
Consider:
- Find some other botanical metaphors for the Lord Jesus such as in Isaiah 53, a Tender Plant.
- Can you trace places where the Lord Jesus sat in John’s Gospel? Trace places He walked? Times He was found standing? What activities, attitudes, and availability do you see in these?
- In verse 3 it says that whatever He does “shall prosper.” This is the same word used in Isaiah 53:10. Think about what He made to prosper in His hand.
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