Contentment. Let’s
investigate this aspect of “peace.”
·
Definition: Realizing God has provided all I
need for my present happiness.
o
The opposite of contentment is a life devoted to
becoming wealthy: those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and
a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction
and perdition (1 Tim. 6:9).
o What
“contentment” does not mean? It does not
mean we are not called to be diligent in our earthly vocation. The Bible teaches the value of hard work (Prov.
6:6-11). This is a primary means by
which God provides what we need (Prov. 12:11; 20:13). But it is not where we put our trust.
·
Underlying principle: God is our sufficiency, El
Shaddai, my “Portion” (Ps. 16:5; Lam. 3:24).
When Israel settled the land God told them not to give the tribe of Levi
any land as an inheritance. He said “I
will be their inheritance” (Num. 18:20).
Likewise, our inheritance is not in this world but is laid up for us by
God who promises to provide for us (1 Peter 1:3-5).
o
He is our Portion!
§
Heb. 13:5-6: So we may boldly say: “The LORD
is my helper; I will not fear. What can
man do to me?” (Ps. 118:6)
§
Matt. 6:19-23: Jesus taught that earthly
treasures would diminish by inflation, depreciation and robbery. Heavenly treasures never diminish.
§
Matt. 6:24,33: You cannot serve God and
mammon (riches, wealth). … But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness.
§ Matt.
6:25-32: Our trust in God is encouraged when we look at His creation around us,
which is a testimony to His goodness. We
can conclude that He also knows what we need.
o
He is El Shaddai, God Almighty! Often people question God’s faithfulness as
the Almighty because their situations seem desperate.
§
Abraham: God told Abraham, Do not be afraid,
Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward. Abram believed God (Gen. 15:6) and he lived
by this principle, that God would be His provider (Gen. 14:22-24). Yet, he also struggled, looking to earthly provision
rather than waiting for the provision from heaven (Gen. 16). God revealed Himself to Abraham as El
Shaddai (Gen. 17:1), calling him to walk before Me and be blameless. This truth was undoubtedly significant in
Gen. 22 when Abraham immediately obeyed God’s command to sacrifice his only son
Isaac.
§
Jacob knew the LORD as El Shaddai from
his father Isaac (Gen. 28:3) and from God Himself (Gen. 35:11). Yet his life was a constant struggle to trust
God’s promised provision. In the end, he passed along this truth about God to his son Joseph (Gen. 48:3;
49:25).
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