One word focus for today: contentment.

It would be interesting to hear the answers if you were to ask people what “contentment” means. Some might say:

“I’d be content if my credit card debt was paid off.”
“I’d be content if I got another week’s vacation each year.”
“I’d be content if I could throw away my alarm clock and sleep in every day.”
“I’d be content if I never had any more homework and no papers to write.”

There’s a common thread. Did you catch it? “I’d be content IF….” Every answer was contingent upon something real or imagined as possibilities. Listen, I know that paying off a debt or getting a little extra vacation is wonderful. As for the alarm, at my age I could sleep in, but I’ve found I am waking up earlier than ever! I won’t even touch the subject of the teenager idly day-dreaming of no homework!

We who are Christ-followers, we who belong to Him do not live with “I’d be content IF…” We live by a precious and powerful, “We are content SINCE…” Let me show you. It’s Hebrews 13:5. Let me share it with you from the KJV first, “Let your conversation be without coveteousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Listen to it in the NKJV as it explains, “Let your conduct be without coveteousness: be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

We have a blessed contentment SINCE the Lord Himself has promised that He would never leave us nor will He ever forsake us. It’s fine to enjoy an extra week vacation. It’s fine to accept pay raises. It’s fine to move into a bigger or nicer home. But just remember this simple truth. We discover that contentment is found in a personal saving relationship to and a personal growing fellowship with the Savior. Wait until you see what word I’ve picked out for tomorrow.