"....Be Content...."

"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.'" (Hebrews 13:5)

We are visiting with some of our family for a few days and I am writing this in the only location which has Wi-Fi--------- a pool!  No, I'm not in it, just under a shade tree, little kids splashing and yelling, over the fence a young boy playing basketball.  Sarah, Jill, and the two oldest granddaughters are out picking blueberries.  How idyllic. 

Into very similar scenes centuries ago, as Oswald Chambers put it, "God became a baby," the greatest, "stumbling block," and, "foolishness," the world had ever heard.  You see, man desires a fanfare god, a far-off god, one he can bow to five times a day, have devotions with, acknowledge him in what does not affect man's personal control over his own life. But, as John's Gospel declares, Jesus Christ, "the only revealed God, has explained." We see our wonderful God moving among men, women, children, soldiers, politicians, religious leaders, merchants, farmers, ranchers, Himself being, "The Light of the world,...the Good Shepherd,..the King of kings, and Lord of lords," the One Whose last Words were spoken three times to humanity in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, "Behold, I am coming quickly,..Behold, I am coming quickly,..Yes, I am coming quickly."  He is the great Bookends of history.

In today's latter New Testament reading, Hebrews 13, Paul deals with some very "down-to-earth" issues, things with which much of the church today does not deal.  Yet our text is so very practical in light of the inordinate fear driving the world's stock markets; I think a better word would be, "panic."  Today in the midst of all this, Jesus warns us of wanting too much, and commands us to, "be content with such things as you have." Then He gives the only real basis for contentment, "I will never (literally, "positively never, ever") leave you nor forsake you."  The Apostle adds, "So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear."  Take with you today that The Living Triune God, revealed solely in Jesus Christ, "is my helper," moment by moment, in the every-day, in the "smallest" issues of life, not far off, but near, even------ "in you." 

Father, in Jesus' name, in a world full of so much uncertainty, I am so thankful for Your Certainty.  Amen.

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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2