Why would we spend our short stay in a Motel 6 decorating our room, when our final and more glorious destination is to come?
This is not a direct quote from Pastor Hodgins, but it is a point that he made in the September 16th Sunday School lesson. This is not our home. We are sojourners. So, why do we want to put more and more stuff in our hotel room? And why do we grow so discontent with the condition of our temporary stay, when our final destination is glorious and eternal?
Last night we began our sojourn through The Secret of Contentment, with Peggie as our hostess. So, you might ask, what IS the secret? Well, as we discussed last night, a secret is a mystery, something that is hidden, or veiled. According to the author, Paul uses the word "secret" (in Phillipians 4:12) to indicate that contentment doesn't come naturally....its not the obvious way to live. But, since we are just passing through, on our way to our homeland, this mystery can be more clear to us, than to those who make this place their home. To the citizens here, contentment comes when they get the right job, end the difficult relationship, get better physically, or have enough money to make them comfortable. If they are not content, they fix up the Motel 6, or move to the Holiday Inn. We, as citizens of "The Fatherland" get it. We realize that contentment is keeping our eyes fixed on our true citizenship, our true King and our true homeland.
Another aspect of this mystery is that we know that everything that we have here is really all good, and comes from the hand of our loving Father. As Peggie said, "True contentment is being satisfied with God, and what He gives." So, we need to be content with ALL that He gives.
Since true, biblical contentment doesn't come naturally and because it is not the sort of contentment that we have learned in this land, we need to learn the contentment of our homeland...and that takes work. We need to work and choose to LEARN biblical contentment. Which, is exactly why we are studying this book...to learn the secret of contentment.
Part of learning this secret is remembering that trials will come. As Peggie reminded us, they are inevitable and important. The two i's that we need always remember...and I might add that we need to forget about the "I" that we seem to always be remembering :). Reminding ourselves of the inevitability of trials helps us to be ready for them with a contented heart. As Pastor Hodgins said in the September 23rd Sunday School lesson, "The Christian will experience difficulties without and difficulties within. And these difficulties will come in many different forms: discouragement, striving against sin, lack of assurance, sickness, death, finances, family problems, losses, persecutions, etc. But the Stranger and the Pilgrim is able to persevere in difficulty mainly because of three things: Because he expects it. Because he realizes that the first cause of all his difficulties is God. Because he esteems his destination to be worth the trouble."
It is important to note, as Peggie did last night, that we do not gain a contented heart apart from the Holy Spirit's work in us. Here are some great verses that we traveled through to remind us of this:
John 14:16-17
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."1 Corinthians 2:10-13
"... these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual."
Ephesians 3:14-21
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Lastly...we need to choose contentment. It is so important because that is part of how we know God's will for us and how we reflect Christ. It's not about us, or our peace and happiness, as much as it is about reflecting the likeness of our King and of our homeland, during our brief stay here. "Although he is in a strange land and is surrounded by strange manners and customs, yet he will not lay aside his manners and behavior which are of his homeland. His citizenship is in heaven-therefore, his behavior will be answerable to his citizenship." Arden Hodgins
Romans 12:1-2
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers,by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Stop by next week for Chapter Two...we'll keep the light on!
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