Moving Forward

Many years ago a young man named Billy Sunday placed his faith in Jesus Christ. An older believer then gave Billy some advice that he never forgot. The man said, “Billy, there are three simple rules I wish you would practice in life as a Christian. If you do, no one will ever write the word backslider after your name. Billy, take 15 minutes each day to let God talk to you. Take 15 minutes a day to talk to Him. And then spend 15 minutes a day telling others about the Savior.” Good advice. 15 minutes talking to God, 15 minutes listening to God, and 15 minutes talking to others about God. Billy Sunday followed this advice and became one of the most powerful evangelists in the history of the church. Billy Sunday recognized the value of moving forward.

That is the central message of Psalm 1. It’s not just that the man of Psalm 1 doesn’t do the bad things. He moves forward in the right things. And what is the right thing? Psalm 1:2 tells us that “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”

Notice that this verse doesn’t say that the man’s drudgery is in the law of the Lord. Nor does it say his duty is in the law of the Lord. No, Psalm 1:2 tells us that his delight is in the law of the Lord. He delights to do God’s will.

Let’s pray that as Christians we are constantly moving forward in our relationship with God, and that we make our delight in His law.