In Praise of God

Yesterday was a wonderful day. . .so wonderful that I’ve had a hard time deciding which was the REAL highlight of my day: reuniting with some of our church family from South Carolina, hearing RC Sproul and Mark Dever speak, or noticing some lilies of the valley (our wedding flowers) blooming out my window!!

Jeremy and I have been married 12 years and I’ve tried growing these flowers before, and it has just never worked. We’ve lived seven different places, and this location is, by far, the worst location of those seven, when it comes to nature (we are in the city in a tiny apartment). But outside my little kitchen window I can see a mass of these beautiful flowers, just growing wild on a CLIFF pushing through wild ivy and other stuff!  It feels like a special gift straight from the God who made me and knew I would see it as a personal gift from HIM (Matthew 6:25-34).  RC Sproul and other great men spoke to over 7,000 people today, BUT God, HIMSELF speaks straight to me. . . how can that compare???  My heart worships more humbly tonight.

Although it is well past Thanksgiving Day, my heart is convicted of the need to meditate more on thankfulness.  Too often I find myself focused on the immediacy of life: the work, the need, the hardship, the disappointment, the busyness…and not focused on the accompanying blessings: the love, the care, the strength, the faithfulness, the comfort, the presence, and the provision of God (whether from Him directly, through providence, or though the ways He moves the hearts of His people).

Today, God brought Psalm 23 to my remembrance.  Whether or not your thoughts are still on Thanksgiving, may your heart be blessed by the way Issac Watts has poetically expressed the message of this well-loved psalm.  I highly recommend reading it aloud–and then choosing one thought to meditate on with thankfulness!

 My Shepherd will supply my need,

Jehovah is his name;

In pastures fresh he makes me feed,

Beside the living stream.

He brings my wand’ring spirit back

When I forsake his ways;

And leads me, for his mercy’s sake,

In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death,

Thy presence is my stay;

A word of thy supporting breath,

Drives all my fears away.

Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,

Doth still my table spread;

My cup with blessings overflows,

Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God

Attend me all my days:

O may thy house be mine abode,

And all my work be praise!

There would I find a settled rest,

While others go and come;

No more a stranger or a guest,

But like a child at home.

Recently, a couple of people have mentioned that I seem pretty content in my current life situation. (I am, among other things, single.) I think that contentment is something that all people struggle with, and I’m not sure why it seems more often to be considered a single person’s struggle. Either way, I’ve been thinking about contentment and ways, by God’s grace, to pursue contentment. The following idiosyncratic list is not at all comprehensive, but I hope it suggests some good places to start thinking about contentment. I’ve provided a few Scripture references, too—again, not comprehensive, but some good places to start thinking.

I’m going to divide this up into concepts and applications. The concepts can be applied in any situation, but my applications will relate specifically to my life and to contentment as a single student (since that’s what I know!). I hope the specifics may be helpful, though, as you think about contentment in your own circumstances.

Concept 1: Vocation
Vocation, in the original sense of “calling,” is one of the sweetest and most contentment-generating concepts that I know. The idea that God has specifically called me not only to live as a believer, but also to live in a specific place, and do specific things, is so comforting. It means that wherever I am, I can live to honor God and fulfill His purpose for me. Even if things aren’t going the way I would choose, I know that God is in control, and as long as I am seeking Him, He will order my life according to His plans (Psalm 37:4-5, Prov. 16:9, Col. 3:18-24).

Application 1:
Some aspects of God’s calling for me may change, while some do not. God has called me to be, among other things, a Christian and (for now) a student.  As a Christian, He calls me to hear His word, pray, meet with other believers, and participate in a local church body. As a student, He calls me to do my homework, participate to the best of my ability in classes, and pursue my work with diligence.
He also calls me to use my time at school to serve others, demonstrating love and humility to fellow Christians and to those at school as a reflection of what Christ did for me (Phil. 2). In His graciousness, He has given me a real love both for the church and for academics, so that He has not only equipped me for these vocations, but actually has given me a true enjoyment of them. However, even at times when I don’t feel that love or enjoyment, I am comforted to know that God has put me here and will use my obedience and diligence to produce lasting results for His kingdom (Eph. 4:1, 2 Tim. 1:8-14, Eph. 5:15-16, Phil. 1:6).

Concept 2: Fallenness and Depravity
“What?” you say, “I thought this was a list of good things!”
Stay with me: The Bible teaches that all have sinned, and that the world and all people are subject to the curse that followed Adam’s sin. (God also calls all people to turn from their sins, trust Christ, and find redemption and salvation in Him by faith, Rom. 1-6.)
Knowing what I do about fallenness and depravity DOES help me to be content, because I understand that when my life situation is not what I would desire…guess what…no one else’s is either!!! Until Christ returns, pain, sadness, longing and suffering are not just part of my own experience. They are part of everyone’s experience.

Application 2:
Thanks in large part to my mom’s ministry teaching and counseling women in our churches, I grew up with an understanding that…to be frank once again…people have lots of problems. Women have lots of problems. Married women who wear cute clothes and have nice houses and adorable children have problems. Sometimes, they have life-alteringly difficult problems. It took a number of years of thinking this through, but I have, I believe, truly accepted the fact that wearing cute clothes, getting married, living in a nice house, or having adorable children will NOT alleviate my problems. In fact, these tend to cause their own problems.
Jesus said that each day has enough trouble of its own (Matt. 6:34). If, by His grace, I can deal with the problems inherent to a single student who has a roommate and an apartment, then I am thankful. If, at some point, He chooses to let me deal with another set of problems, I will work to handle those in a way that pleases Him.

Concept 3: Blessings
The Bible teaches that God gives us many good things to enjoy (Matt. 7:11, Jas. 1:17). Because life changes so quickly, the things I am able to enjoy now are not necessarily going to be available for me to enjoy throughout life. So…I seek to make the most of my time by really trying to see the best in my situation and to love being in this stage of life (Ecc. 2:24, 3:13, 5:18, 1 Tim. 6:17).

Application 3:
Just a few of the blessings that I truly enjoy as a single student are:

• A flexible schedule: This means that I can meet people for fun or for ministry at varied hours, often shifting my study schedule in order to make time for other things.
• Food: Within reason, I can pretty much eat what I want, when I want. Pancakes at midnight? Cereal for three meals in a row? I work to be healthy, but I love the flexibility to eat in or eat out, cook or have leftovers, as it fits my life.
• Travel: I can pick up and leave for a weekend with very few problems. This allows me to have relaxing car time, to visit friends, and to see new parts of God’s world.
• Convenience: I can arrange my room (and much of my house—being thoughtful about my roommate of course) in ways that make sense for me but might not if I had a family. I keep notebooks in my pantry for easy access, have stacks of library books on the floor, and keep craft projects out in my room. It’s a little thing, but it’s nice.
• Sound sleep: It is rare that anything wakes me up in the middle of the night. Right now I do not have children who need me or a husband who snores. I am totally appreciating this while it lasts!!!
• Being in a learning environment: People at a university are generally open to ideas. I love learning new things on a daily—hourly—basis. I also love the opportunities that this allows for me to share with others about my own faith in an open setting.

Concept 4: Specific provision of God
God provides for His people, and in each situation, I see how He has specifically given me everything I need in order to serve Him (Matt. 6:25-34, Phil. 4:18-20).

Application 4:
I think that, as a single person, I see this in particular when God fulfills for me the roles that I generally think of a husband as fulfilling: financial provision, protection, etc. It is a blessing to see God work out my life in a way that allows me a safe place to live, money to use, and others to care for me when I’m sick or need help. God cares and provides, and I am thankful (1 Pet. 5:6-7).

Concept 5: An eternal perspective
This life is just the beginning, and the trials here are temporary. I am working for the Kingdom. The work I do here matters and will have lasting results. I am part of something so much bigger than myself, and by God’s amazing plan and amazing grace, I will enjoy not only the fruit of my labor, but the whole of His Kingdom (Hebrews 10:36-12:3).

Application 5:
Whatever I do as a Christian, single student MATTERS. It really does. I need to write my papers, do my reading, meet with friends over coffee, cook my dinners, go to church, encourage my roommate, call my mom on the phone…all not just because they are part of my life, but because they are for the greater purpose of pursuing God—knowing Him and enjoying Him forever!

Ultimately, contentment is a blessing of God, but we are also responsible to do things that foster contentment. Then, as we seek Him, become more impressed with His glory, and learn to trust His wisdom, we will be increasingly able to say with Paul that we have learned to be content (Phil. 4).

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Now to our God and Father {be} the glory forever and ever. Amen.”  Philippians 4:18-19

Little boys need more pairs of jeans than three adults I’ve discovered!  They dirty them, get them soaked, wear holes in the knees, grow out of them in a matter of a few days sometimes.  Such is the story of my little four-year-old, and I finally had to face the fact that we would need a few pair for Elijah after my husband stated such on Sunday morning (you guessed it, no clean pants for church, yikes!)

Yesterday I made a visit to the on-campus “attic” where I have NEVER found a single thing for Elijah, (because boys are hard on their clothes, very little of it makes it to donation) but it’s free, so I had to check there before I dropped a few twenties for two or three pair of pants, just in case there were some there.  In the children’s room, I pulled out a box on the floor labeled “4T Boys” and opened it.

There sat neatly folded in the front of the box, THREE PAIR size 4t SLIM (Elijah’s exact size) jeans in good condition!

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so specifically provided for in my life.  There was no way any human could have put them there (unless driven to BY GOD, of course).  It wasn’t the kindness of a friend giving us a gift, it wasn’t me in my strength making the extra money to purchase what we needed.  It was purely and simply God’s provision.  Nothing more.  Nothing of me.  Nothing of someone else.

In hindsight, I realize I had no reason to be so shocked that there were three pair of jeans Elijah’s exact size.  So I give glory to God who has promised to provide for us. . .to the God who owns every pair of jeans out there.  He is all-knowing, all-powerful, EVERYTHING!!  What’s three pair of 4T SLIM jeans to such a God?

Strangely, I woke up this morning thinking about illness, death and dying.  Why do we have to die?  Why do we have to endure so much illness?  (Yes, I know the biblical short answer:  “Because of sin.”  But why did God choose these to be the consequences of the fall?)

After a few moments of sadness, unease and prayer, the thought came to me that, even though death is an enemy and consequence of sin, illness and death are both gifts, part of God’s common grace toward all mankind (even as painful and heart-rending as they are).

Think about it.  No other consequences of sin could or would catch our attention so thoroughly, so often, or with such emotion.

No other consequences would be equally present in every culture, every day, of every year, of every century.

No other consequences would repeatedly bring all mankind face to face with some of life’s most important questions:  Why do we have to die?  Why is there so much suffering?  Why does God allow this?

For believers, these “gifts” hold even greater importance, for no other consequences would allow us so many opportunities to powerfully point unsaved family, friends and acquaintances to the hope found in God alone and to the promise of eternal life.

No other consequences would evoke such praise, worship, gratitude and hope as, time and again, illness and death compel us to run for help and peace to the person, work, sacrifice and promises of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No other consequences could so strongly cause our hearts to yearn for the kingdom of heaven.

And so today my new question is this:  Am I faithfully using every instance of illness, death and dying to catapult my heart into greater love, service and devotion to my God?

In May I traveled with my family to the Grand Canyon. It was awesome!  It is truly breath taking!

As you stand there at the rim and look at the magnificent colors and the absolute vastness of this “Natural Wonder” you can not help but think of the Creator.  This amazing canyon is there for all to see and to declare His greatness.  I was content to just stand and look and think.  (I don’t stand still very often!)  I was grateful that my thoughts were of our amazing God, and even more thrilled to hear my children declare His wonders.

 In his book  The Joy of Fearing God, Jerry Bridges explains that acknowledging God in creation is one way to increase our fear of the Lord.   Bridges gives Isaiah 40:12-31 as an example of an Old Testament passage that “especially emphasizes the greatness of God and is thus designed to stimulate our fear of Him.”  This passages contains a number of questions and figures of speech describing God’s immense greatness in creation and history.    

The point that Isiah makes is that even though creation (including the Grand Canyon) is great, nothing compares to the greatness of God.  As we think about the truths scripture teaches about creation, we should grow in our fear and awe of Him.

Enjoy creation this summer.  Even if you don’t go to the Grand Canyon, be amazed by blooming flowers, powerful rain storms, and cute lightning bugs!! 

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The older I get, the more I notice that life’s changes and uncertainties increase with every passing year.  Now whether they actually increase, or simply seem to (because I don’t have the rest or stamina I used to have???), the result is the same:  I continually face the daily/hourly/moment-to-moment challenge of glorifying God in times of change and uncertainty…and even in the fear which too often accompanies such seasons.

And so, I have recently been thinking about contentment.  This evening, as I began reading chapter 11 of The Art of Divine Contentment by the Puritan Thomas Watson, he immediately brought to my attention a most wonderful and encouraging insight, quite worthy of further meditation.  In the excerpt below, I’ve emphasized the thoughts which stood out so strongly to my heart.

“A contented Christian carries heaven about [with] him: for, what is heaven, but that sweet repose and full contentment that the soul shall have in God?  In contentment there are the first fruits of heaven. There are two things in a contented spirit, which make it like heaven.

(1.) God is there; something of God is to be seen in that heart. A discontented Christian is like a rough tempestuous sea; when the water is rough you can see nothing there; but when it is smooth and serene, then you may behold your face in the water. (Pr. 27:19) When the heart rageth through discontent, it is like a rough sea, you can see nothing there, unless passion and murmuring; there is nothing of God, nothing of heaven in that heart: but by virtue of contentment, it is like the sea when it is smooth and calm, there is a face shining there; you may see something of Christ in that heart, a representation of all the graces.

(2.) Rest is there. O what a Sabbath is kept in a contented heart! What a heaven! A contented Christian is like Noah in the ark; though the ark were tossed with waves, Noah could sit and sing in the ark. The soul that is gotten into the ark of contentment, sits quiet, and sails above all the waves of trouble; he can sing in this spiritual ark; the wheels of the chariot move, but the axle-tree stirs not; the circumference of the heavens is carried about the earth, but the earth moves not out of its center. When we meet with motion and change in the creatures round about us, a contented spirit is not stirred nor moved out of its center. The sails of a mill move with the wind, but the mill itself stands still, an emblem of contentment; when our outward estate moves with the wind of providence, yet the heart is settled through holy contentment; and when others are like quicksilver, shaking and trembling through disquiet, the contented spirit can say, as David, “O God my heart is fixed:” (Ps. 57:7) 

What is this but a piece of heaven?”

While Watson’s thoughts have both excited and encouraged my heart, they have also added a wonderful implication to 1 Timothy 6:6–

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

“Get wisdom!  Get understanding! . . .

Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

Love her, and she will keep you.”

Proverbs 4:5-6

I have often cried out to God, telling Him of my need for wisdom and asking Him to give it.  However, until recently, I had primarily thought of wisdom as something to “get” [which it is! (Proverbs 4:5-7)]; but I had not consciously thought of it as something to “love.”

It makes a difference.  It takes wisdom out of merely an “acquisition,” “need,” or “help, I’m lacking this” category and elevates it to “treasure” or “beloved” status (which, of course, is what it truly is).

 “For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,

And her gain than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies,

And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.”

Proverbs 3:14-15

And when we remember that all the “treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are hid in our Savior Jesus Christ, that elevates it still further  to “relationship” status  because the treasured wisdom we need is hid in the Savior we love.

 But what difference has this new “love” made in my every day life?  So far, I see two main differences.

1.  It has caused me to ask myself what I love more than I love wisdom.  Are there things of lesser value that I love and pursue more than wisdom?

2.  It has made me slow down a bit, as I am more aware of my need, not only to diligently study the Word (treasure is seldom found on the surface!), and teach it, but to take time to embrace (hold, clasp, enfold) the wisdom found within its pages.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; 

Therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.

Exalt her, and she will promote you;

She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

She will place on you head an ornament of grace;

A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

Proverbs 4:7-9