DEAR CHILDREN OF GOD…WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WALK ON GOD’S PATH?

We are meditating for the past two days on Psalm 1. This morning let us look at verse three. This verse is one of the favourite verses, which many Christians would read it, again and again. It is related to blessings a Christian would have in his life.
– “3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” – Psalm 1:3

The blessing of verse three is operating upon the “Cause and effect” principle; also the principle of “What we sow, that we reap.” If we do what is written in verses one and two, then, what is written in verse three would automatically follow.
– “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water…”
A Christian who truly follows the LORD, will have God to be His Provider, Protector and Sustainer. Just as this tree is planted by the rivers of waters, so also the one who is faithful and obedient to the LORD – he is nourished by the Living Waters, that flow out of him – John 4:13-14.

– “…that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;”
A tree that brings its fruit in its season indicates about its health. A tree that is healthy from inside is an indication of how well nourished it is. When it is so, then the fruit in our lives would be natural, and all too obvious.

– “his leaf also shall not wither;”
When one walks faithfully, in obedience to God, He will take care of all what is needed by us. God takes the responsibility to protect His children from all external threats. Therefore, the leaf shall not wither, but would be green and healthy.

– “and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
When one walk in obedience to God, the life of God flows into us. This leads us into a life of sufficiency – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. In other words, it is a wholesome life.

Having talked about the blessings in a Christian’s life, we also need to see why then a genuine Christian faces problems and struggles in his life? Probably we need to ask a few more probing questions than this, to get to the bottom of it. The question that we need to ask ourselves is not only, “WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WALK ON GOD’S PATH?” but also, “WHAT ARE THE MARKS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN?” The answer to this question holds the key to the question of, who will be blessed, as found in Psalm 1:3.

Only the person who demonstrates the marks of a true Christian, is the true follower of the LORD Jesus Christ. Only the person who is truly a Christian, is the one who bears fruit for Christ Jesus, the Redeemer and the LORD. The one who bears true fruit, is truly the disciple; and a true disciple is not concerned about physical and material blessings, as much as he is focussed on living a life worthy of his Creator, and for the glory of his Redeemer. What about us? 

Deitrich Bonhoeffer, writing in “The Cost of Discipleship” says this about what kind of mental framework and attitude, one would need, as the follower and disciple of the LORD Jesus Christ.
– “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” – Deitrich Bonhoeffer
The idea and intention behind these words are this – We are called by our LORD Jesus Christ to a life of sacrifice, denial and death, much more than a happy, comfortable and prosperous life of blessings.
– “…true Christian discipleship requires a complete surrender of one’s life, ego, and worldly attachments to follow Christ. It signifies a “dying to the old self” to allow Christ to live through the individual, a concept rooted in Jesus’s teachings about denying oneself and taking up one’s cross daily.” – AI Overview of the Bonhoeffer’s quote.

Our LORD Jesus made it amply clear about what is required from us, as the followers and the disciples of Jesus Christ. The salvation is free, and it is by the grace of God. There are no two opinions about it. However, becoming a disciple, and following the LORD Jesus entails a cost, which we have to pay on a daily basis.
– “24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” – Matthew 16:24-25 
– “24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour.” – John 12:24-26

Anyone, when he accepts the LORD Jesus Christ as His Saviour, and walks the “Narrow Way” taking up his cross daily, faithfully and obediently, then the fruits of Psalm 1:3 will automatically follow. However, let not our eyes be set on the blessings, but on being faithful and obedient to God.

Even if there are no material and earthly blessings in his life, a true Christian faithfully and obediently follows his LORD, with no change in his desire, nor in his enthusiasm. Even so, the LORD help us.