Phil 4:12

"I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" Phil 4:12

Ah, sweet contentment! What would it take to make you contented? A new house? A new car? A fully equipped yacht? A new dress? In size "S"? Happy children? The perfect job? The perfect Church? The perfect wife? The perfect husband? If we stop to think about it, we could probably come up with a lot of things. A winning Mark Six ticket might be at the top for some of us. Will these really make you contented? I can guarantee if you had one or all of the above, you wouldn't be contented very long. Why? Because contentment can not be found in physical things. All of these things will become less alluring with time. The house will age. The car will rust. The dress will "be out of fashion." The children will be children. The job will grow old. The Church - well if you join it, you will ruin its perfection. The wife, she will get fat after three kids. The husband won't do anything but sit in front of the TV watching soccer. The million dollars will soon be spent. These things only offer temporary contentment.

Paul has learned a bit about contentment. He has found it in poverty and riches; in what ever situation in which he has found himself. He has found contentment in hunger and plenty; in ease and suffering. What is his secret? Paul has learned that contentment is found in Jesus. Paul had such a hunger for God that nothing else would do. He was so sold out to Jesus that whatever He wanted was fine with Paul. Would you sing if you were beaten, bleeding, and cast into a stinking, wet, rat infested prison cell? Paul did. Would you return to the city that beat you, stoned you and cast you out of the city gates thinking you were dead? Paul did. Would you witness to the men who held you captive, awaiting a trial that would likely deliver you to the executioner? Paul did - and won the majority of Caesar's personal guard over to Jesus!

See the difference? Paul's contentment never changed, never rusted, never died, never argued, never faded away. His contentment was based upon the Jesus who is the same yesterday, today, and forever! We could learn a lot from Paul. The next time we look at our "want list" let's ask the question, "Will it bring real contentment? Or will it only provide temporary happiness?" Then decide if you really want or need it. Amen and Amen.