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Friday, November 25, 2005

"Living In Contentedness"

"But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

Today marks the "official" start of the Christmas shopping season, at least here in the USA. Today all over America malls and shopping centers will be packed.  Ad fliers are full of great deals, particularly if you want to go shopping at 6:00 in the morning, or even earlier!

There's just more and more neat stuff that claims it will make the people we love happy if we just buy it for them.  Of course the ads are surely also designed to appeal to our own sense of desire as well. I can sure tell you this stuff is alluring to my heart, particularly electronic type gadgets.

I want to pause this morning and consider the bigger picture. The foundational meaning of Christmas is that God sent His Son as the greatest and most needful gift of all. Increasingly this has been or is getting drowned out.

We that love the Lord and desire to live in obedience to the Scriptures are called to properly provide for our families.  Indeed the Word declares that, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). 

However beyond our desire to properly provide for our families is the materialistic rat race. Living in an age of affluence we have to be on guard against this tendency.  The Apostle Paul's words that follow our daily reading are so applicable today; "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:9, 10). My, isn't that so often the case!

A great Biblical teaching in regard to experiencing balance in this tension between properly providing (good) and the materialistic rat race (bad) is contentment.  Consider the power of the phrase, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." A Bible teacher has observed "Contentment is understanding that if I am not satisfied with what I have, I will never be satisfied with what I want."  Among the many ways the world seeks to force us into its mold is the lie that it can offer true satisfaction. Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have and finding satisfaction with that.  It's realizing in the words from the great hymn that, "All I have needed Thy hand hath provided."

Our daily verse declares that "If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."  I wonder how much food Paul was accustomed to and how extensive his wardrobe was.  Yet he says, "We will be content."  I believe our need for contentment is something we need to constantly remind ourselves of.  The pressures of materialism are ever before us, particularly during this season that we remember God's greatest gift. What a wonderful experience to live in contentment!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's prayer: Jesus, when I get overly anxious about having the latest gadget or the newest fashion I usually overlook the fact that I have so much already at my disposal.  So much, in fact, that I struggle to keep my possessions in good order and am often overwhelmed with clutter.  Thank you for the people I know who live with less so that others can have more.  More of the basics of life and the provisions needed to reach others with the Gospel message.  Contentment from You cannot be packaged and sold, but it can be a way of life as we align our priorities according to Your instruction. Increase my desire to live according to Your will and not the expectations of others.  Help me to do this in Your strength, for it is only in You that I can do all things.

Brooksyne's Note: On Wednesday afternoon Ester had her monthly pacemaker check which is transmitted via telephone.  During that transmission the technician noted that her pacer was not kicking in at times and Ester's heart rate was plummeting to the 30's.  This required an admission to Hershey Med Center.  Within two hours Ester was a patient and our plans for our Thanksgiving trip were scrapped.  Upon arrival her cardiologist and pacemaker technician began to utilize their expertise and discovered that the upper lead is affected by certain movements Ester makes.  After much testing, lab work, x-rays and overnight observation, along with a major adjustment to the settings on her pacer, we were released yesterday afternoon.  Since this is only a temporary fix her cardiologist will advise us as we meet with him next week.  We're always grateful for your ongoing interest and prayers on behalf of Ester's health needs.  HMC provided an incredible Thanksgiving buffet to all the families of patients yesterday.  It was even more food than a typical Thanksgiving meal. We carried it to Ester's room and enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving meal with her.  God blesses us in the most unusual settings, because He is always faithful!!

Personal Note: As I conclude this week let me once again acknowledge the homegoing of my mother on Wednesday, November 16. Thank you for the many notes and emails we have received. I hope readers understand that we will not be able to respond to each of these.

Here is a special webpage of honor and tribute to my Mom along with a couple of audio clips from the service. This page also has a link to the many sympathies and remembrances we received, along with links to the three encouragement messages I wrote with her passing on my heart. A Tribute to Georgia Mae Weber

Also I strongly encourage that a child consider writing a tribute to their parents expressing their love and gratitude. Here's one I wrote in the early nineties when both my Mom and dad were living (my Dad passed away in 1998).

 

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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