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I’ve been meditating in the first three verses of Psalm 1 (NIV):

1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Very simply, it breaks down into:

• What blessed people don’t do (verse 1)
• What blessed people do (verse 2)
• The result (verse 3)

Today, let’s consider what blessed people don’t do:

• Walk in step with the wicked
• Stand in the way that sinners take
• Sit in the company of mockers

I looked up the three verbs—walk, stand, sit—and landed on “sit.” One of the meanings is “abide,” the same idea that occurs often in John 15:

• Abide in me and I in you (verse 4)
• Abide in my love (verse 9)

“Abide” carries the idea of resting in, staying, hanging around. As I write this, I’m abiding in my recliner—easy to get into, hard to get out of!
If we’re not abiding in Christ, in what are we abiding?

• News?
• Sports?
• Talk shows?
• Social media?
• Self-talk?

None of those things is bad for an occasional visit. We take two newspapers. You know I like sports! We’re on Facebook to keep up with the kids. But in what do we abide? I once listened to two men go through the entire Auburn football roster, by number, reviewing each player’s position, height, weight, hometown, etc., all without anything in front of them. Impressive. They clearly abide in Auburn football! 

June suggested that some of us abide in our self-talk. When we could turn our minds to the constant presence of Jesus, instead we’re busy rehearsing the latest negative conversation or hurtful thing that someone did to us or some other disappointment in our lives. 

Let’s pay attention to where we abide, and tomorrow I’ll write about the alternative: abiding in Christ through the Word.

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (John 15.3, 4, NKJV)