1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

The standard North American picture of "having it all" is a lifestyle of wealth and fame. The dream usually include variations, huge mansions, expensive toys, fashionable clothing, glamorous parties. These are the things we aspire to, it seems. To many, these are the things that constitute the good life.

What is curious, of course, is that the people who live out this fantasy seem to be constantly changing. A star is born one day, only to crash and burn the next. Someone is famously popular this year, never to be thought of again 5 years from now. Nobody's time in the spotlight seems to last very long. There is always someone new to highlight on Entertainment Tonight or Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. And when the documentaries are eventually made of the lives of "former stars," all too often the picture we see is anything but glamorous. Their happiness rarely endures.

The picture of the good life given in the Scriptures is quite different. In Psalm 1 the poet asks us to consider two pictures. First, we are asked to imagine a tree, planted by a stream of water. The image is one of enduring fruitfulness. As each fruit-bearing season rolls by, the tree offers up its gifts. It does not bloom, only to wither. Rather, the image suggests that everything that the tree needs for a long and productive life is in plentiful supply.

The second image is quite different. In this image we are asked to imagine a stalk of grain that has ripened and been harvested. All that remains is the stalk. Its time has come and gone. Though this plant flourished for while, it is now spent. All too soon the wind will pick it up and blow it away.

The Psalmist asks us to consider which image presents us with a picture of "the blessed life." Which picture would we prefer as the picture of our lives? And of course there is really no question about our reply. We all would prefer to live the life pictured as a tree that is fruitful and flourishing down through all the seasons of life. Well then, says the Psalmist, what would make it so?

The wisdom of the word suggests that the way to the good life is to work hard, to give 120%, to do whatever it takes to be Number One, and so to seize the day, hoping for that lucky break that will propel you to the top. The Psalmist, by contrast, suggests that such a way of living is awful. Using very strong language "the advice of the wicked, the path of sinners" the Psalmist tells us that to pursue such a life is futile. It is not good. At best, such a life has its "day of glory" after which it is empty and hollow. It cannot withstand the seasons of life. It gets blown away.

Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith. Through him all things were made and in him all things hold together. He showed us the way of life everlasting. He lived the good life.

Jesus suffered. In this world, you see, the good life is not immune to pain. The question is not whether or not there will be hard times. Rather, the question is whether we will have the strength and resources to endure whatever the seasons of life bring our way. Will we flourish only for a day, or will our whole lives-each and every season sum together to-be a picture of flourishing?

At the beginning and at the end, Jesus was steeped in Scripture. The early stories of Jesus tell of his "sitting among the [temple] teachers, listening to them and asking questions." When he was led into the wilderness and tempted by Satan, he rebuked Satan with Scripture. At his death, on the cross, he quoted the Psalms.

The picture of a blessed life is a life steeped in God's word.