ODJ: being satisfied
It was only right that He should make Jesus, through His suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation (v.10).
READ: Hebrews 2:9-18
Biju Thampy, a young man from India, knew poverty. When an unidentified benefactor sent him to England to be trained for the ministry, Thampy was unwilling to rest in comfort. Hungry for the realization of the Great Commission, he asked the school officials to use part of the funds from his meal provisions for missions. For him, eating only one meal a day was a small price to pay. Today, his church in Mumbai feeds approximately 1,000 children each day while teaching them the gospel. An amazing feat, but only a fraction of the city’s more than 200,000 homeless children.
The world teaches us to measure our contentment based upon our circumstances. We not only live in a “gotta have it” culture, but one telling us “have it your way.” If something you buy doesn’t work the way you want it to, return it. If a relationship doesn’t work, let it go. If your job isn’t what you wanted, find a new one. If you feel something is missing in your life, a person or material thing can make you happier. We refuse to do without.
We will always have needs, things we want, or desired improvements in our relationships. Trying to find answers in our circumstances leaves our hearts indecisive about God’s provision (James 1:5-8). Only Christ can fulfill what we truly need. Godly contentment goes beyond circumstances.
Contentment doesn’t just happen. It’s a choice that begins by seeing things from God’s perspective (Job 28:24). When we see Him as our source, our needs become defined by His heart. We choose:
• To trust in the Lord above things, people, and situations (Philippians 4:6-7).
• To pull our thoughts toward what really matters (v.8).
• To look at what we have, instead of what we don’t have and to see Christ as our source of satisfaction (vv.11-13). —Regina Franklin
How have you been looking at your circumstances from your perspective rather than God’s? How is God calling you to invest in others?
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October 22, 2009
READ: Psalm 119:33-40
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. —Psalm 119:37
A New York Times article linked the increase of computer storage with the decrease of data in the human mind. Our electronic aids now remember phone numbers, driving directions, and other information we used to learn by repeated use. In schools, memorization and oral recitation are disappearing from the curriculum. We have become, according to the Times, “products of a culture that does not enforce the development of memory skills.”
Yet never have we as followers of Christ been in greater need of hiding God’s Word in our hearts (Ps. 119:9-11). Scripture memory is more than a helpful mental exercise. The goal is to saturate our minds with God’s truth so that our lives will conform to His ways. The psalmist wrote: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. . . . Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way” (Ps. 119:33,37).
Why not begin committing Scripture to memory? Daily consistency and review are keys to success. And just like physical exercise, this spiritual discipline is enhanced when done with a small group or with a friend.
Let’s not forget to remember and follow the life-giving wisdom of God’s Word. — David C. McCasland
Let the Bible fill your mind, rule your heart, and guide your life.
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