柏裕是一個退休的獨居老人，近來已無法開車出門，需要別人幫他購買日用品、藥物，以及星期天載他去教堂。柏裕說﹕「其實我喜歡待在家，整天上網聆聽免費的敬拜音樂，收看教導聖經的電視節目。」柏裕每天都沉浸在上帝的話語、禱告和讚美之中。

我們維持的習慣會影響我們的心思意念。詩篇1篇描述蒙上帝喜悅的人所維持的習慣：喜愛上帝的真理，常常思考，因而不隨從世俗悖逆的行為模式（1-2節）。雖然每個人都會遇到困難，但當我們以上帝的教導為生命的根基，就會「像一棵樹栽在溪水旁，……葉子也不枯乾」（3節）。我們都處在不同的人生階段，也許不是每個人都能花很多時間讀聖經。但耶穌說，渴了的人可以到祂那裡去，就不再乾渴，聖靈會像江河充滿所有相信祂的人（約翰福音7章37-39節）。我們可以藉著讚美上帝和閱讀聖經，讓我們的心沉浸在活水江河中，也可以藉著關心他人、在工作時與上帝交談，在犯錯時祈求寬恕，使自己更親近祂。

遵循上帝的智慧，就是將我們的心栽種在溪水旁。這就是義人的生命，上帝會看顧保守（詩篇1篇6節）。

Bill is an older retired gentleman who lives alone and recently had to give up driving. He needs help to pick up groceries, prescriptions, and get to church on Sundays. “But you know what,” says Bill, “I love my days at home. I enjoy free worship music online and Bible teaching on the TV all day long.” Bill spends his days surrounded by Scripture, prayer, and praise.

The habits we keep influence where our hearts are planted. Psalm 1 describes the habits of someone who has found favor in God: they delight in His truth, meditate on it often, and therefore do not follow the rebellious pattern of the world (vv. 1-2). Hardship will come to everyone, but a life established in the ways of God “is like a tree planted by streams of water . . . whose leaf does not wither” (v. 3). Depending on our season of life, we might not be able to spend hours a day in Bible study. However, Jesus said He satisfies anyone who is thirsty that comes to Him, and the Holy Spirit fills His followers like a river (John 7:37-39). We can steep our hearts in living water through praise and Scripture, and also through caring for others, talking to God while we work, and asking for forgiveness when we mess up.

Following the wisdom of God plants our hearts in fertile soil. That life gets called righteous, and God watches over it (Psalm 1:6).