Contentment

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.  

Psalms 107:8-9 

Ever been lost and by yourself in a strange, unfamiliar area? That is so scary! In the old days—before maps on our cellular phones—you had to rely on a physical map or on directions from a stranger. (That is, if you trusted the person who was giving you directions.) The Bible is that way. It is a map, giving us directions for our journey or path. We have the choice to rely on the information the Bible is giving us, or we can try to take shortcuts to reach the same destination.

Now, with the map applications on our phones, we can be assured that we will find our way to the destination. When people travelled the roads in Biblical days, they were always watchful for bandits and thieves. They never knew if they would be robbed, beaten, or even murdered along the road. It would be so scary to travel alone, and I would imagine, that would be the last thing one would want to  do. Now, in our times, we can make that choice to stay on the road or take detours.

Speaking from a spiritual viewpoint, “detours” can be dangerous if we choose to take them. They can be dangerous if we become distracted by them and never get back on the road to fulfilling God’s purpose for us. Detours are those things that would keep us from living up to the full potential God has designed for us. This does not mean we cannot pick up and go to  the road to complete what we started, but we could miss opportunities along the way to bless or be blessed by others. Detours could be pursuing what we want, and not living according to His Word.  Or perhaps running away from people who want what is best for us, but somehow smothering the development along the way.

Parenting is like that, moms and dads want what is best for their children, but there is the possibility of smothering their young adults for fear of them making a mistake. That is where trust should be built. We cannot protect our children forever. We have to trust that we have raised them to the best of our abilities and that the faith imparted to them will remain in them and be enough to get them through whatever they will face.

Similarly, God is our parent…and we are His children. When we accept Him, profess Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are grafted into the Kingdom. As women, we become princesses in the King’s family. We will grow from infancy into adulthood if we are faithful to pursue after our Father. As we continue to use the manual left for us—the Holy Bible—we will know good times along with the bad.

…And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you
to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.
For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:12-14 NIV

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Father, thank You for Your unending love for us. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, as an example of how to live for You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, who gave us Your Word to read, believe, and follow. Forgive us of our pride and sinful nature, which keeps us from a peaceful communion with You. Help us pursue this until the day we go home to meet You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

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