BE CONTENT
Today’s Text: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. (Exodus 20:17)Today’s Thoughts: To covet means to desire something that does not belong to you. It means that we are not totally content with what we already have. God loves us and provides for all our needs. If there is anything we need, we simply need to go to the Lord in prayer – He owns everything. God hears and answers our prayers, but sometimes His answers differ from what we hoped for. God wants us to learn to be content with what He has blessed us with, knowing that He knows what is truly best for us.
Today’s Testimony: God doesn’t want us to covet; He wants us to be content with what we have. If we covet, sooner or later we will be going the next step and breaking another commandment. We may steal, place something else as our god or as an extra god, commit adultery, start living a different life and causing shame to God’s name, tell lies to be popular or “better off” in whatever way, start doing our own thing on the Lord’s day, place ourselves above our parents or others or even kill in order to have a “happier life”. Sin often leads to more sin. The life of sin is not to be coveted, yet so many walk down that road. It is a life of pain, regret and heartache. God has a life of joy available to everyone who follows Him all the way. Yes we will have pain and sorrow in this life, but His peace and strength will see us through, and one day we can enjoy a life free from sorrow with our Saviour in Heaven. I want that life, and it is available to me. I choose to live for my God now. He knows I will be far happier, and I’ve experienced it.
I mentioned once before (Today’s T’s Day 2) that I once asked the Lord to help me to live up to my name. My name, Lindy, means beautiful. I asked the Lord to help me to be beautiful on the inside, but added that I wouldn’t mind if He made me beautiful on the outside too. He changed me inside and outside. I am happy with my physical appearance now. I don’t wear make-up. I don’t feel I need it, but my main reason is simply this: I asked the Lord to make me beautiful and He intervened. In my opinion, for me to now go and wear make-up would be like saying, “Thanks Lord, but You didn’t do a good enough job.” I am content with what the Lord has done with my physical appearance. I have no desire to change it. For me to wear make-up and jewellery would, for me, be an insult to my God, and I therefore stick to displaying my natural beauty that the Lord has blessed me with. I am content.
There is one thing that we must never be content without, and that is the Lord. God is so good and created us that we will never be fully content without Him. Many people have obtained everything that money can buy, but they are still left empty inside because they haven’t met the Lord. Then there are those that try and fill that gap with friends, entertainment, harmful substances and practices, or even work, but they too are left empty. Only God can truly satisfy the longing of our hearts. He created us to be His people, and we will not be content unless we are. But then there are people that “know” the Lord, but still feel empty. Those are the people that have a head-knowledge of God. The people who have a heart-knowledge of God will be content – their longing for God will be totally satisfied. The problem is that so many people either don’t know God or only have a head-knowledge of Him. We need to know the Lord personally and then we will be content no matter who else or what else is in or out of our lives. God will bless us with what He knows we need – all else is unnecessary.
There is peace in being content and not coveting what we don’t have. God wants us to experience that peace, and that’s why He gave us this commandment. If we are unsatisfied, we will never be happy. God can and will provide all that we truly need. We need to learn to trust Him.
Today’s Task: Be thankful for what you have. Don’t look elsewhere to satisfy your desires. If you have desires – look to God, but be willing to submit to His will – He knows what’s best for you. Be content with what you have. God has truly blessed us with so much.
Today’s Thanks: O Lord I praise You that You provide for all our needs. I thank You that our heart’s desire can be satisfied in knowing You personally. Help us to know You. Lord help us to be content with everything that You have blessed us with and not to covet the life or things that we don’t have. Life is best lived in You – help us to realize that. I thank You that You give us the peace and strength to live a joyful and contented life in You, no matter what. You are all we need. Lord may we know You as never before. Amen.
