peaceful joy/content

Saturday, February 26, 2011 (7:04 a.m.)

Awesome, Amazing God,

Thank You. There’s a word I’m looking for. It describes the calm, settled way I feel right now. It’s almost joy. But in looking it up, that’s too happy. There’s more peacefulness involved. A kind of ‘peaceful joy’ if You will. Will You Lord? Guide me to the verses You would have me explore this morning.

This really special morning that marks the anniversary of thirty-four years of marriage. Thirty-four years Lord? “And they said it wouldn’t last!” Yes Lord. So many people said it wouldn’t last. But it did. With an overwhelming amount of peaceful joy.

Sunday, February 27, 2011 (7:45 a.m.)

Could the word be ‘content’ Lord? I looked it up. The very first definition is “in a state of peaceful happiness”. That seems to sum it up very nicely Lord.

Ah yes Lord! I’m taking it! Just now when I thought the verse I was looking for was where Paul told the Philippians, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…” (4: 12) I looked over to Hebrews as well.

Here in the first six verses of chapter 13 (specifically verse 5, “be content with what you have”) I am reminded of my mom’s quite firm ‘encouragement’ [read here as ‘threat’! J] that I had “just better like what you get”. Wow, Lord! I never knew her to be so scriptural J!

All kidding aside Lord, this section is steeped with reminders of our family’s heritage. We both had grandmothers who did ‘not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (v.2).

Verse three tells us to ‘remember those in prison and those who are mistreated’ as if we ourselves were suffering. How often have I chided myself for being such a bleeding-heart? Thank You for the reminder Lord that we ARE supposed to care so very much for others!

I confess Lord, it has been said that verse four comes rather easily for me because of the love I have for my husband. “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure…” YOU know that hasn’t always been the case!

Touching again on verse five, it has been YOUR Truth at work in me all these years keeping our ‘lives free from the love of money’ making us content with what we have. Again Lord, not always the case!

It’s the end of this verse and all of the next that I’m asking for Your help in learning to live. “Because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’”

Lord, I whine WAY too much for others [and myself! J] to believe that I ever say this with complete confidence. “The Lord is my helper”? YES! Done. “I will not be afraid.” Not even close. Remember me Lord? The one whose feelings get hurt at the drop of a hat? Of course I’m afraid of what man can do to me.

As many times as Your Word tells us not to be afraid, I still don’t live “with confidence” daily. It comes and goes. There are times that I truly believe I have faith that could move mountains (Matthew 17:20; Mark 11:23). Sadly, more often than not, my mind works overtime thinking on things of which to be afraid.

Lord God, how I thank You for this anniversary weekend on which to contemplate the contentment we have found in You. And each other! Lord, You are mighty. Powerful. Loving. Perfect. And You work miracles too. Like keeping us contentedly together all these years. Thank You Lord. And thank You too for the announcement of an expected grandchild to boot. Wow God. You really ARE good!

Keep us practicing right living in and through Your mighty power and presence, which is available to help us all. We love You so very much Dearest Lord. And we are grateful. Fully ‘content with what we have’! Thank You. Amen.

(688 words ~ 8:38 a.m.)