Psalm 1:3-4 says, "They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Close your eyes and use your five senses to awaken your imagination. Picture two trees. The one on the left is shriveled, surrounded by tumbleweeds, with no flowers or fruit. The one on the right is blossoming, full of leaves and color.

The Bible is like a beautiful library, full of different genres and unending stories of truth and wisdom. The Psalms is a book of prayer full of truth about God's character, rich with imagery that invites your intention and imagination. The poetry of Psalms invites you to sit with God's Word, to linger longer at an unhurried pace.

Psalm 1 says, "How well God must like you - you don't walk in ruts of those blind-as-bats, you don't stand with the good-for-nothings, you don't take your seat among the know-it-alls. 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. You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust - without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people. God charts the road you take. The road they take leads to nowhere."

As you read, what stands out to you? What do you imagine? Here are the three meaningful images that emerge from Psalm 1:

The Life You Experience

What life do you want to experience - flourishing or desolate? God wants his best for you and the people around you! A life characterized by joy, defined as glad to be together. The life you experience will be largely influenced by the company you keep.

The Company You Keep

You get to have a say in the kind of company you keep! No one can do this for you, although God invites you to experience a full and abundant life alongside others! All are welcome to Jesus' table, but he influenced, changed, and shaped people and conversations around the table, and he invites you to do the same!

Find people: Start where you are and add meaning to your community! Who can invest well in you, and who can you invest well in?
Go where they are: Relationships deepen when you serve alongside others, shoulder to shoulder, for the good of others! What team can you join?
Ask for support: You can't always choose your coworkers, neighbors, or family, but you can choose who gets access to your life and helps shape who you're becoming. Who are three people you can regularly ask for prayer support?

The company you keep will always present you with options for the road you take.

The Road You Take

The best of life is not something you stumble into; you go after it. God's living Word is not just a manual for life; it is life. Find people who are asking the same questions in the direction of Jesus. People grow and heal in relationship. Is the path you're on helping you and the people around you grow and heal? Let God's company guide your life and take you and the people around you on an adventure!

This week, read Psalm 37 every day. Set an alarm to remind you to read and meditate on God's Word. This could look like reading multiple translations, reflecting on what images emerge like in Psalm 1, and practicing curiosity with the question, "How would I live today if I knew this were true?" Lean in, look at the Scripture together, and practice what God's saying with support from others!

How To Practice Meditating on God's Word