Hi again! I hope you're doing wonderfully-well today! :)We’re going to spend a little bit more time in Psalm 1 to start the week off… (and start hitting some “sticky situations” toward the end of the week) there is so much there and is such a great foundation for the entire book of Psalms! So… head back in it.

Last week we focused on three words: BLESSED, STAND, AND DELIGHT. God’s view of blessing is different, and much deeper than our immediate view! To stand sometimes means staying… or walking right back to… difficult circumstances, but we can do it when, and only when, we’re trusting in the character of God! Delight means to place your will on it… to pursue it. And finally, remember… GOD DELIGHTS IN US! Will you take a moment on your day to thank Him for loving you this way?

Verse two reminds us that our delight should be in the law of the Lord. Will you will yourself to do that this week? I’d love for us to memorize our theme verses together (Psalm 20:6-8). Any takers? They are always located on the right sidebar of the page. Read them and “meditate on them… day and night” (v.3). Meditate suggests persistence. Write them on cards and place them in your home. Incorporate them in your conversation. APPLY them to your decisions. TEACH them to your children. YOU will be the one blessed! Elijah’s servant was commanded to go back 7 times to be healed; and on the 7th time (not before!) he was healed. Sometimes God demands persistence, and willingness to learn and so that we always KNOW that the answer wasn’t something that came from us.

Read verse 3: You will not be like a wild tree left there by chance, but one planted, and placed lovingly. Not only that, but you will be placed by streams of living water. This tree has a continuous life source, it’s much different than the way I water my plants! I’m afraid I only take care of that chore when it’s convenient or I can tell that they’re nearly dead!

Head back over to Genesis 16:1-14, Let’s visit Hagar again! Notice where the angel of the Lord found Hagar in verse 7. God often loves to encounter his hurting children… near a source of water! (John 4:1-26). Notice Genesis 16:14: That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadeesh and Bered.

Beer Lahai Roi means: “Well of the Living One who sees me.” And it is still there. Hagar named her only life source after the name… after the character of God. She recognized His name in a present, active, continuous verb form… He is ALWAYS the God who sees her. Not just one time. THAT is how she could get up, and walk straight back into the land of hardship.

Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and who’s leaf does not wither. Whatever He does prospers.

FOR DISCUSSION:

1. Prosper. Yet another word that could be defined multiple ways. Stop and think. Keeping in mind what we’ve learned already… what is YOUR definition of prosper? In the midst of your circumstances, define where you ARE going… as a child who brings delight to the God who is a constant source of life. Don’t know how to actually get to your prosper point yet? Define it anyway… let’s set our gaze on where we’re headed.

2. PLEASE SHARE ONE PART OF GOD’S CHARACTER THAT YOU ARE COMMITTING TO FIX YOUR EYES ON. ONE THING ABOUT GOD… THAT YOU KNOW AND ARE WILLING TO KNOW WITH ACTION. Let the character of God be your spring in the desert today!