Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Tuesday, 21 October 2014 - Psalm 1

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Tuesday, 21 October 2014 - Psalm 1:1 How well God must like you—
    you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
    you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
    you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.
2-3 Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom.
4-5 You’re not at all like the wicked,
    who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
    unfit company for innocent people.
6 God charts the road you take.
The road they take is Skid Row.(The Message)
I drive a 1949 Plymouth—in fair summer weather, that is, and never in winter. Purchased in 1975, it's been part of my life nearly forty years. I am not its creator, but I am its restorer, and driving it brings me much happiness—when everything is working together as intended. When it does not, well, it's not so much fun.
The happiness of Psalm 1 far surpasses driving a 1949 Plymouth, although the similarities are instructive. Happy are we when we are in harmony with the intent of our creator and redeemer (restorer) as our lives become focused on love of God and neighbor. We may not intentionally or openly scoff that such a life is impractical in our aggressive, highly competitive world of "me first," but our words and deeds may perform the scoffing for us.
Each new day we are called from our scoffing and other ills to be restored in our baptismal commitment to live with God's people in worship, study and service, as we follow the example of Jesus.
By your grace, O God, renew us this day to walk your ways and serve all people in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Lanny Knutson
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 
Master of Divinity , 1969
Psalm 1:1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.(New Revised Standard Version)
____________________________