WATCHWORD:
A Psalm of David — 1 My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. 3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore. Psalm 131
4 Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do. Remember that the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. 7 If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
Meditation:
Contentment
Contentment is an interesting word. The Urban Dictionary defines contentment this way: “Contentment is true peace of mind and has absolutely nothing to do with any external pleasure or condition, but rather your attitude.” Ah, yes, there it is: attitude. Is contentment really that simple to achieve?
The Psalm of David, Psalm 131, is one of fifteen songs of ascents. Why are they called songs of ascents, you may ask? These were songs traditionally sung by Hebrew pilgrims as they travelled over difficult terrain to Jerusalem to attend annual festivals. They reminded the people of God’s grace, mercy, protection and salvation, a formula for contentment.
Charles Spurgeon noted that Psalm 131 is one of the shortest psalms to read but one of the longest to learn because it challenges us on one of the most difficult aspects of human behavior, pride. In the psalm, we sense that David has renounced pride and expresses humble devotion to God through the image of mother and child.
Another formula for contentment can be found in Philippians 4, where Paul reminds us that contentment is something to be learned, a discipline of quietness and calming your mind. Then in Romans 12:2, he makes this statement: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Unfortunately, we find ourselves conforming to the behavior and customs of this world, or our culture, or our circle of friends, or following an imagined or real insult or slight by loved ones, and we inch away from God’s will. It is at precisely that point that we need to grab ourselves by the ears and shake the “poor me” right out of there, and lay it all on our Lord in prayer.
That experience, which we have all had, is God’s way of transforming us by changing the way we think, the renewing of our minds. You know, that is the opposite of conforming to the world. Christians must think differently. But, we are human, and, in large measure, we act on our feelings. A life lived by feelings will never know the transforming power of God because it simply ignores the renewing of the mind.
Romans 12 is a wonderful and instructive chapter for in it Paul explains how to live out the will of God in your life. Read it, digest it, think on it, pray on it and I believe you will come to a better and richer understanding of God’s will for your life. Don’t parse it out, read the whole chapter, learn of the mercy of God for you, and as you do, you may know what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is. But here is the clincher, you can’t prove it in your life apart from the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
How do we explain the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives which we can’t prove? The answer is in our faith, defined in Hebrews 11:1 — Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. We are back to that matter of attitude, and the contentment of our minds in Christ. Amen.
Where is Jesus?
Late Winter 30AD — Jesus receives message to come to Bethany, Lazarus is ill unto death. He delays. Arrives in Jericho, where he encounters the tax collector Zacchaeus and stays the night with the family, changes their hearts. He restores sight to blind Bartimaeus as he is leaving the town. In four days he will arrive in Bethany, knowing that Lazarus died. His delay? “So you might believe.”
Watchword Announcement:
There will be Watchword Devotionals on Palm Sunday and each day of Holy Week, leading up to Easter. We will follow both Jesus and Barabbas through to Calvary, the crucifixion and the Blessed Resurrection. Please join me. SE
Prayer for Contentment:
Heavenly Father, You bestow honor and authority according to your great wisdom and understanding. Help us to order our days so that Your best might fill our future. We turn our hearts to You, to learn of Your ways, the grace of contentment and to yield always to Your council. Grant us a willing spirit and an understanding that we might walk up rightly in Your sight. Let the name of Jesus be held in honor throughout the Earth. Amen.
