Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, stop for a moment and do this little exercise. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and say this:
“Thank you, Lord.”
Now finish the sentence: “Thank you Lord, for….”
After getting the obligatory phrases out of the way (“...for my family, ...for my friends, ...for my health, etc.”), then go deeper. What are you really thankful for? And how did God make that happen?
Eventually, you’ll hear other voices muscling their way in.
- “But what about my health?”
- “But I’m in financial trouble.”
- “But my family is a mess.”
- “But if I only had (fill in the blank), life would be so much better.”
The state of true contentment.
Since my household is full of Harry Potter maniacs, I can’t help but remember the dialogue in the first book between young Harry and wise Dumbledore, after Harry discovered the Mirror of Erised. This magical mirror reflected back on the observer that which they most deeply and most desperately desired in their lives. For Harry, it was the image of his long-deceased parents. For friend Ron, it was an image of his holding the house trophy. And Dumbledore? We never learn for sure, but he did say this:
“The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror; that is, he would be able to see himself exactly as he is.”
What would you see if such a mirror were real? Yourself as you are, or as you long to be?
There’s no clear word for contentment in the original New Testament Greek. The closest we get is the word chara (“kara”), most often translated as “joy.” It appears over 170 times throughout the Scriptures, and Jesus used it nearly twenty times in his public teaching. Paul used it two dozen times throughout his letters to the churches, and it’s used in this passage from James:
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
Now consider that the word chara not only means “joy,” but can accurately be expressed as “calm delight.” And when you couple that with its sister word charis – which means grace – it is clear that this contented, calm delight is not something we manufacture from within us, or conjure by our own efforts.
Rather, true biblical contentment is a quiet but confident gratitude that none of your worries about tomorrow can overcome what God has given to you today. It is an unwavering realization that no matter what happens in your life, whatever ailments, trials, or sufferings you may go through, God is always there, giving you exactly what you need.
For which the only response is, “Thank you, Lord.”
Incidentally, chara is also related to the word eucharist, our formal word for Holy Communion. Through the sacrament we enter that state of “calm delight,” giving thanks for God’s presence and provision, even during our toughest troubles. And that’s why the words that we share from our hymnal before communion are called “The Great Thanksgiving.”
No matter what you are going through today, remember that even your most difficult moments are fleeting, compared to the everlasting reach of God’s love for you. And in the words of the wonderful book The Art of Divine Contentment by 17th century Christian author Thomas Watson:
Hence I gather, that outward troubles cannot hinder this blessed contentment; it is a spiritual thing, and arises from spiritual grounds, namely, the apprehension of God’s love. When there is a tempest without, there may be music within. A bee may sting through the skin, but it cannot sting to the heart: outward afflictions cannot sting to a Christian’s heart, where contentment lies. Thieves may plunder us of our money and plate, but not of this pearl of contentment, unless we are willing to part with it; for it is locked up in the cabinet of the heart. The soul which is possessed of this rich treasure of contentment, is like Noah in the ark, who can sing in the midst of a deluge.
So, repeat after me. Thank you, Lord…… Thank you, Lord…….
Thank you, Lord.
Magrey
The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org
WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY
Join us as we continue our series on “Life’s Three Big Questions” with a sermon titled “Who are We? A People of Grace.” Based on John 8:1-11. Hear the amazing story of a woman who experiences the grace and forgiveness of Christ. And at the end of the service, we will join in Holy Communion and give great thanks to God. .
YOUTH SKI TRIP FUNDRAISER
The youth group will be going on a ski trip on Saturday, February 21. To defray costs, they will be selling cinnamon rolls this Sunday after church for a free will donation. If you would like to help, contact Sue Parker or Andrea Cook.
BENEFIT EVENT
Careage Hills is sponsoring a benefit dinner of taverns, hot dogs, chips, and baked beans for Dale “Junior” Bakker, in Mercy Hospital following an accident at home. The proceeds will be used to defray medical expenses. It takes place February 15, from 11am-2pm in the Community Center. An account has been set up at Cherokee State Bank to accept donations.
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