Content

There have been so many things that have crossed my mind since I last wrote. There's the one about the little 6-year-old boy here in Omaha who was suspended from school because his little brother slipped a butter knife into his backpack. Zero tolerance. Watch out! He may spread oleo all over you. I've been thinking about Pharisees a lot lately and wondering if I am one. But for some reason, what keeps creeping back into my limited brain is the topic of contentment.
After reading Mike Cope's blog on slowing down, after seeing all around me hurrying everywhere to make a living, to get somewhere on time, to earn more money to buy this or that, contentment has just been a topic on my heart. To make matters worse, we feel as if we must have a lot of activities here at church or we'll be a dead congregation. This person coming in this weekend, that person the next, this activity and on and on the cycle goes.
"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." (Philippians 4:11b) "But godliness with contentment is great gain." (I Timothy 6:6) "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5) I know I've written about this, but it has struck the chord again.
Perhaps it's because I've seen the devastation brought on by Katrina and Rita and I know that in a heart beat all of my worldly possessions could be gone. Maybe it's because I have moved everything I own in the last week. Or perhaps it's just God's Spirit telling me to calm down, slow down, and be content. I chose the latter. I hope you do, too. Have a great day. JW