Be Content

Today is Saturday, April 4, 2020, in the fifth week of Lent. Peace be with you!

Day 22,668

Eight days until Resurrection Sunday.

Fifty-two years ago today, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN.

Yesterday was a pretty smooth day at work. Since we are delaying all receiving for twenty-four hours, there is no need for us to work late on Fridays. I am learning new things, finally getting transitioned into that new role into which I was promoted last year. I’m somewhat excited about it. Not only is it an opportunity to learn new things, but also to prove my value to the company.

We will be picking up our grocery order at the store, today. I placed the order Thursday evening, because the first available pick up time, on Thursday evening, was from 3:00 to 4:00 PM today! That is at our usual Kroger store. One other nearby store’s first available slot was tomorrow! It will be interesting to see what items need to be substituted. They will send a text message with a link to show me exactly what they are trying to substitute for anything that is unavailable, and I’ll have the option to accept or reject the substitution.

There’s no other news, to speak of, except that I’m expecting an order to come down, any day, that orders us to wear masks any time we venture outside. Since there aren’t really any surgical masks available, I assume we’ll have to improvise. I believe I have at least one bandanna. Perhaps I should wear a cowboy hat with it, to look more authentic.

I’ll be joining our WW workshop via Zoom in a couple of hours. Still making progress in the program. I don’t know what weight I’ll be reporting yet. I’ll wait until around 10:00 to log my “official” weight for this week.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
(Psalms 115:18 ESV)

Today I am grateful:
1. For the weekend to rest for the next work week. I realize that doesn’t mean much to many people, now, but I’m still going to work, so I’m grateful for the two days off.
2. That You are teaching me to be content with what I have.
3. For Your spiritual armor. Help me to put it on each day.
4. That everything I have is a gift from You.
5. That You constantly grace me with that which I do not deserve.

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
(Psalms 142:5 ESV)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!
(Psalms 108:5 ESV)

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
(Psalms 84:11 ESV)

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 10:32-33 ESV)

Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob. He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
(Psalms 81:3-5, 8-10 ESV)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give me this bread, that he may live in me, and I in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
(Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 ESV)

“The truth is, striving to find fulfillment apart from God will prove futile. While Scripture calls us to work hard and use our gifts for the good of the world, we can never accumulate enough to satisfy our deepest longings. Jesus alone offers a real and satisfying life (John 10:10)–one based on a loving relationship that’s truly enough!”
(Winn Collier, Our Daily Bread)

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
(Ephesians 6:13 ESV)

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
(Colossians 3:12 ESV)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty. In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve awesome deeds. Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet. Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad. Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
(Psalms 45:1-9 NIV)

The concept of contentment is what is on my mind, this morning. We seen a lot of examples of people who won’t be content, in the past few weeks. The evidence of this is the fact that most stores still can’t keep toilet paper on the shelves. This is baffling to me, and to many other rationally-thinking people. But it gives us a clear picture of the nature of humanity. As a general rule, mankind is greedy and self-centered.

Jesus calls us to be other than this. Rather than greed, we are called to generosity. The reason that we are blessed is so that we can share it with others. If I have extra, I am called to be willing to give it away. In some cases, I may even be called to give away that which is not “extra.”

Rather than being self-centered and arrogant, we are called to be humble and meek. I have nothing in this life that I accomplished myself, or obtained by my own skill or wits. All that I have is a gift from God. Even any skill or wits that I might have are gifts from Him.

Rather than hateful or indifferent toward people, we are to be compassionate and kind. This comes into play in the hoarding scenarios, as well. If you are hoarding something, you are taking it away from someone else who might truly need it. And, in some cases, I believe indifference may even be worse than hatred. Remember what Jesus said about people who are “lukewarm?”

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
(Revelation 3:15-17 NIV)

And, rather than being in a hurry, anxious to have our own way, we are called to be patient. This may be one of the most difficult concepts for the modern Western person. We are so used to having everything right now! And, suddenly, we are being forced to do nothing but wait. And we don’t even really know what we are waiting for, other than for the threat of this disease to be over. Patience. Slow down. “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life” (Dallas Willard). There’s no hurry, now, is there? Most of you have nowhere to go.

Ironic that gas is so cheap, now, isn’t it?

Father, please keep teaching me these qualities: a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. When I begin to display the opposite of these, and it does happen on a daily basis, may Your Spirit prompt me, and may I immediately repent.
Lord, please shorten these days. Protect our families; protect our church families; protect our nation, and protect our world. We pray for this disease to end. And may we be quick to learn a valuable lesson from these days. Much of what we thought we needed, we truly don’t need. Teach us contentment.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
(Colossians 3:12 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.