Rare Jewel

 

I look forward to sharing a few posts on contentment by sharing some thoughts from one of my favorite books The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment written by Jeremiah Burroughs around 1620.

Contentment:. satisfied, at ease in my situation, my body,  being satisfied with things as they are, accepting my situation.

1 Timothy 6:6 Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Learning contentment is a hard lesson, mainly because it's a lesson learned through self denial. 

Self denial is the beginning lesson for all who come to Christ. It's the ABC's in the early classroom for students under the teachings of Christ.

Our hearts are full of self love and determination to have things our way.

We're born this way.  As mother's we know this as we teach our little ones to accept 'No' as an answer.   The little heart proves itself strong and determined to do as it desires.

We a remember the days of training our babes to mind what we say and do what we know is best.

The tiny hands on hips, the defiant "You can't make me!" child has unnearved many a young mama's heart.

But Mama knows. And she enters the battle ready to win, for she understands that she cannot train up a righteous generation if her little ones never learn to follow with a quiet and cheerful heart.

The beginning battles can be noisy and rough at first, but as mama and daddy continue to stand firm the little heart, born to resist, in time learns to soften to loving, continual, firm boundaries. As my dear husband says "Every child has to have a brick wall they cannot overcome." 

As the little determined hearts learn, through whatever consistent discipline the loving parents train them with, they begin to yield and accept training in righteousness. Soon the fruit of righteousness begins to sprout in tiny buds on their young branches.

How delighted the hard working parents are as they observe this new growth. 

Their child is learning to trust, they are learning to follow the guidance of God's appointed guardians....mom and dad.

Thus it is with the Lord.

Many of the children He has called to be His and to do great things for Him on earth arrive in His school untrained and full of self determination. They arrive, so to speak, with hands on hips. Happy... yes....oh so happy to be saved! Hallelujah! But full of their own ideas of how they are going to walk with Him and determined to be in charge of their lives.

Well.....as all older believers know, this will, and must be, reigned in by the Lord before the little colt is ready to serve in the kingdom.

But not to worry, the Lord is a Master teacher and the new students learn through a variety of situations that they, indeed, are not in control, and that it's imperative to learn to trust and follow.    Lots of tears, pulling away, kicking and hollering may ensue as training goes on. It's not pretty for most of us, but as Hebrews 12:11 promises, the painful discipline seems terrible at the time, but it eventually produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who are willing to be trained by it.

At this point, I want to praise Jesus that He never gives up on His own children. Being one of His more difficult to train loved ones, I am grateful for His loving persistence.

So.....as I begin this time of sharing about contentment, I tread softly and tenderly. I know where I come from and the path it took to soften my heart to accept loss as gain and discipline as love.

Contentment begins in the school of loss and pain. It's the only.....truly only....path to the peace that fills a contented heart.

I just wonder if God isn't using our difficulties today to teach us that going our "hands on hips way" in this world is not the path to joy and contentment.

If He wants to bless a people or a nation, that people must be humble and contrite.

Are we?

Look around.

Do you notice that the majority of people around display a humble and contrite servant heart? A heart that's ready to learn and receive instruction?

He says that He will heal a people who humble themselves and pray and turn from wicked ways.

I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, but I honestly think that as a people, and as a nation, humility and deep obedience to God's Truth are still lacking.

 I might be wrong, but I think we can all look a little more carefully at our individual hearts and examine ourselves and test our hearts to see if we are really walking in faith and obedience as 2 Corinthians 13:5 commands.

Jesus asks each one of us..."Why do you call Me Lord and not obey Me?"

We want to be content and happy dear ones.

We want to enjoy life while we live on earth.

It begins with being trained in obedience and contentment.

All around us people are grabbing. They want more. More power. More money. More control.... more.

They are empty.

If they were filled with the Holy Spirit they would  seek to give, to nurture, to serve in a lower position, so only Christ would have preeminence and glory.

Some of us know the way. 

We know life isn't about getting our way.

 It's about serving our Savior by shining the Light as beacons in this present darkness.

None of us are going to be on this earth long. This is all temporary. Eternity is the goal.

May hearts be enabled to see.

And may we be useful to our dear Savior during this time as God's sovereign Hand brings many to the realization that we have left the narrow path that leads to life.

Pray for revival. Pray for God's glory to shine throughout the earth.

Open our eyes Lord....