Blessed Is The Man!
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
The Bible refers to the devil in many ways, and with each description the author paints a disturbing picture of the very one who seeks to destroy mankind. He is referred to as a roaring lion, the ruler of demons, a murderer, a liar, a serpent, a tempter, accuser of the brethren, a dragon, and the wicked one. This is not an exhaustive list, but I think you get the picture. However, as this pastor surveys the landscape of the family unit in our society today, I would like to suggest another name to describe this “being” most referred to as Satan; for all intents and purposes, he is a “homewrecker.” The devil has been attacking the family unit since Adam and Eve dwelled in the Garden of Eden, and the damage he has done over the course of time is nothing short of astounding and incredibly sad.
Over the last decade or so, the church is reporting a trend among men which is extremely troubling.
Statistics show that of those in attendance on an average Sunday morning, only 38% are men. It is believed that only two out of every six men attend church regularly. Statistics regarding young men (those in high school or college) are just as bad. It is believed that 70% of male students will leave the church following graduation, either high school or college, and never return. In fact, most Christian universities in the U.S. report that the enrollment of females doubles the enrollment of males.
Therefore, the church must deal with the reality that men, young and old alike, are falling away from the faith. They are falling away from their commitment to Christ and they are failing to lead their families spiritually. Unfortunately, a lack of spiritual maturity is leading to divorce and the fracturing of many Christian homes because the husband/father has walked away from his commitment to God. I guess it is also possible that he never knew God. At any rate, in many instances the family unit is broken and people are suffering because the man of the house refuses to live for God and has instead chosen the things of this world.
The United States leads the world in “fatherless homes” where more than 24 million children live absent of their biological father. Surely, God has called us to better than this. God has called men to be men! He has called men to be godly, holy, and loving leaders in the home. Men are to be responsible, accountable, and faithful to their wives and to their children.
In doing so, they are faithful as well to the God who created them and established the principles by which man receives the greatest joy in this life. Blessed is the man who walks with God and delights in His law! As I write this devotional, I cannot help but think about my wife, my children, my two son-in-laws, and my grandson. They mean the world to me! Aside from my desire to please God, I have no greater desire than to be a positive influence on my loved ones, to invest greatly into their lives.
A man is either a blessing or a curse to his family. Each man, each husband, each father must ask himself: “Which category do I fall in today?”
The psalmist mentions several characteristics of the “blessed man,” a man who is a blessing to his family. A blessed man will not walk in the counsel of the wicked. In today’s world, everybody is willing to offer advice, although most of it is better left alone. The world tries to convince us that we should look out for #1; that it’s O.K. to ignore or even disobey the Word of God if it means you get what you want out of life. But why would a man take his counsel from the world when God, the very One who created the family unit, has provided us with biblical principles and values to lead our families.
The lives we live were never intended to be done for selfish reasons or for the sake of getting everything we want out of life. The Bible says that man exists to bring God glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). When a man leads his family by example, when his life reveals his love for Jesus and his desire is to be the man God created him to be, not only is he a blessing to his family, but he is blessed by God.
1. A Blessed Man Does Not Stand in the Path of Sinners.
Solomon said; “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Man can be so deceived when he’s not walking with God. The devil can make the grass look a lot greener on the other side — so much so that a man will leave his wife and children to chase something that will cause him and his family nothing but heartache and pain. This pastor has seen it too many times, a man who fails to truly commit to living for God, falls into sin, and the consequences are devastating.
In both the Greek and Hebrew, the word “sin” means “to miss the mark.” When a man chooses to live a sinful life, not only will he pay the price for his actions, but so will his wife and his children. He does indeed miss the mark of what God desires. And when you stand in the path with those who do evil, you become one of them!
2. A Blessed Man Does Not Sit in the Seat of the Scornful.
Who are the scornful? They are those who are proud and haughty, who ignore the Word of God and live as if there are no consequences for one’s actions. Men who believe they can treat their wives and children neglectfully and with a lack of respect are scornful. Men who place their own wants and needs ahead of their family’s needs are scornful. Men who walk away from responsibility and fail to fulfill the call of God on their lives as a husband and father are scornful. Men who care nothing about integrity, honesty, or living a life that is worthy of God are scornful. Men…we are called to be men and to lead and love our families as God would have us to do.
3. A Blessed Man Delights in and Meditates on the Word of God.
The Bible was never meant to be like a buffet table where you pick and choose what you want to believe and practice. The Bible does not allow for mankind to create a god of his own choosing or one with which he is more comfortable. The reason the family unit is in the shape it’s in today is due to the fact that God’s Word has been compromised time and time again. Man is not to detest God’s Word but to “delight” in God’s Word. In the Hebrew, the word “delight” means “to take pleasure in.”
Therefore, man should take pleasure in obeying the Scriptures for the Word of God is life! It gives and sustains life. It provides guidance, wisdom, protection, peace, and joy for all who will abide by it. Man is to meditate on the Word of God. We are to ponder it, consider it, digest it, and allow it to change us to become more like Christ every day.
The reality of the brokenness we see in the family unit today is significant. And by and large the responsibility for such an epidemic falls squarely on the shoulders of the men in this country. If the man of the house is leading his family biblically, then the home will be as it should be; filled with peace, love, contentment, security, and joy. But what is required is for men to get right with God and then the blessings will follow. “A faithful man will abound with blessings!” (Proverbs 28:20)
