“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked, who does not stand on the path with sinners, and who does not sit in a meeting with mockers.  But his delight is in the teaching of the Lord, and on his teaching he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and its leaves do not wither.  Everything he does prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3

And Through the Starting Gate We Go!

“And through the starting gate they go” will be a phrase we will hear often in just a few days.  The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will soon be underway in the mountains of northern Italy.  Olympians who compete in downhill skiing, bobsled, speed skating, and luge will all begin from starting points and race at furious speeds to the finish line.  It is what they have spent years, if not lifetimes, training to do.  It is their dream to win a medal at the games. 

It would also be a strange thing to see your favorite American olympian suddenly slow in their intensity, stop in their race entirely, or even had the audacity to sit down and chit-chat with the spectators.  We might wonder, what is going on?  What about all their training?  What happened to their focus?  Where is their heart?   What a disappointing spectacle that would be!

Through the starting gate we go this year into the book of Psalms!  And Psalm 1 begins with warning and encouragement.  For the people of God, both then and now, a danger existed to slow down, stop, and even sit in judgement upon God and his word.  Especially for those trained to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, we are not immune to the temptation of slowing to a stop in our race of faith.  Such danger to our souls exists when we fill ourselves up with the values of the world.  If we drink from its vain reason and indulge in its destructive sins we may also find our pace towards heaven slowing down with deadly distractions.  We get bogged down with doubt, stand in defiance to our God, or even sit in criticism of God’s word.  Be on guard, dear believer, in your life of faith!  

As temptations abound, let’s continue to remain focused with the help of God the Holy Spirit to remain in his word!  Here there is a clear proclamation of forgiveness for the times we have been woefully negligent – even those times we have made a downright mockery out of what God has said.  Here there is payment for all of our sins in the ugly, yet necessary, cross of Jesus.  Here in the word we have the opportunity to cherish, meditate, and apply God’s will to our hearts.  Here we are rejuvenated by his grace in all areas of our life.  Here we are planted by God with a specific purpose in his kingdom.  Here our roots are deeply connected to Jesus and are nourished with his message of salvation.  And here we flourish with our Savior, bearing his name with fruit “that will endure”. 

As we begin this year, through the starting gate we go into the book of Psalms!  Even better than a medal, our end goal is to be home with the Lord in heaven.  God has made our end goal clear and accessible entirely through our Savior.  Knowing this, we can rejoice in the instruction, training, and hope given to our souls in his word.  Consider yourself blessed!  On into 2026 we go with Jesus!    

-Pastor David Horton