Are You Content?
Good Morning Friends,
People have been moving from the country to the city to work hard and save their money to move back to the country for generations. The shift in populations has been going on since Adam and Eve left the garden. It seems that we desire and crave for more and more, yet we are never fulfilled but always prone to fear. The tragedy is that this lack of satisfaction has become the norm for even the children of God. So, let us explore this idea about rejoicing in all things against the backdrop of our own lifestyles. Are You Content?
Scripture: Top of Form
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:1-7 (NRSV)
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 (NRSV)
Message: There are a multitude of Hebrew words that translate as “desire.” And that is understandable for the word “desire” covers a wide range of human wants, emotions, and cravings. It can describe natural desires, which include hunger for food, sexual longings, and desire for God. The latter is the really the focus of today’s devotional because until our desire for God is a priority in our life we will never really be satisfied. As you consider this you might discover that the desire for God is caught up with our hope, belief and expectation about meeting our Savior in heaven but it is also about our experience of God now. You see, we are to reach out for heaven in all experiences. We are to rejoice in all things because we believe that God will use all our experience for a good purpose. Therefore, if we believe, we should have a certain contentment in our lives. We have always longed for such an experience as heaven and when we rejoice and are content we bring a bit more of it to earth. We have always, in our souls, felt that such an existence was possible but we do not always realize how attainable and close it is right this very moment. Jesus even tells us that it exists. So be ready to be in this place of peace… for even now Jesus is leading you through your responsibilities and rough edges of life toward an existence that is being made ready for us as a body of believers. You see, we are to trust…trust in the presence, promises and person of Jesus believing that all things will work together for good. Friends, know this, God will restore us… God will redeem us. God will bring us real reunion with the peace of Christ found in the Father…. the piece of Christ’s peace found in us. But God knows how easily we are prone to worry. So, we are told to cast our discouragement, weariness, hopelessness, disappointment, frustration, depression, despair, pain, hurt, suffering, grief, heartache, affliction, trouble, and anxiety away. Friends, become content in Christ for part of you is already in heaven.
Pray we rejoice in our heavenly Creator as a way of worship.
Pray in the Spirit that we realize that contentment only comes through our relationship with Jesus. Pray we rejoice because we are saved. Pray that once we have learned how to be content and have stopped putting the focus on the things we share this serenity with others. Pray that the Spirit of God would come into our lives today with power as we reach out for heaven. Pray that we believe that Jesus will take our hands and lead us to His Father’s house in Heaven forever. Pray we seek this communion with God because God desires unity with us. Pray we think, speak and act in a way that demonstrates our desire for God. Pray we respond with gentleness in the world. Pray we have gratitude and humility in all things. Pray Christ’s mind and Spirit be the guardian of our minds and the activator of our hearts on our journey home. Pray we are content because our names are written in heaven.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 