Author: kezha1

Paul’s contentment was utterly reliant not on himself and his ability to suppress his emotions of displeasure, or even bitterness & resentment…but on Christ, Who held Paul fast and sustained him through all his adversities. But the interesting part of these Scriptures to me is the phrase, “I have learned to be content…” Which to me would mean that contentment is not part of my natural make-up and rather is something to be discovered & grasped with understanding and maturity in Christ. For if I look at my old self, there is very little contentment and a whole lot of impatience and irritability. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:29 to, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me…” for He is an example for us to follow in order that we can be happy & satisfied whatever the situation.

We all have things we hide from others…secret things that we’re ashamed and embarrassed about…hidden things that bring out the very worst in us. We may think no one knows…but God does. And still, despite all the hidden bad in us, He loves us more than we can ever imagine. And we have this assurance of His love… for the Bible tells us that His love endures forever, it’s unfailing, wonderful, and always good. While we were yet sinners, Jesus loved us enough to die for us. (Romans 5:8) Giving Himself up sacrificially on the Cross in our place. (Ephesians 5:2) So my prayer for you today would be that you might readily grasp how wide, and long, and high, and deep the love of Christ is for you. (Ephesians 3:18)

In this Chapter, Paul is giving Timothy specific instructions on the Church’s care of widows, especially young widows. He was against giving young widows aid…concerned they would become content to be apathetic, lazy, and unproductive. Bad habits are so easy to fall into. It usually starts as a once in a while practice, but over time it becomes a pattern repeated over and over again. And for some bad habits, the compulsive need for and/or use of becomes intentional, deliberate, and continuous…usually characterized by well-defined physiological signs & symptoms upon withdrawal. But not every habit is bad – such as being in the habit of reading your Bible everyday…the bottom line is, you have to look at whether the habit affects your behavior in a negative or a positive way.

“One who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.” (Proverbs 11:18) When we intentionally plant what is right and good, we will reap a bountiful crop of blessings from God… whether material or Spiritual. But this Scripture is taking it a step farther and challenging us today to take a hard look at our Spiritual life or lack there of. Have we become lazy and too comfortable with the status quo…our life becoming like a fallow field that has sat unplowed for a long time? But the good news is…when plowed & seeded, a fallow field will produce a particularly abundant harvest.

Paul’s warning here was to the early Church…but it’s even more important today for us. Christians need to be living in the light of the Second Coming of Christ…always ready, with no time to waste…or as I Corinthians 7:29-31 says, this present age is already in the process of “passing away”. No person knows when this will take place, for His return could happen at anytime. (I Peter 4:7) For from the day that Jesus pronounced judgment on this world in His life, death, and resurrection, “the last hour” has been upon us. (I John 2:18) When Paul told the Church to “wake up” here and in Ephesians 5:14 he may have been citing a portion of an early Christian Hymn well known in the Church…”Awake, O sleeper and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” And that’s where we find many a Believer today…in a apathetic stupor, with no regard or interest in the potentially dangerous position they’ve fallen into regarding sin.

Have you ever come to the end of yourself? You’ve employed every self-centered, self-serving ploy and tactic to make something happen on your own…only to now sit there in utter defeat. For no matter the amount of intelligence, skill, or grit you could muster…it still wasn’t enough. Self-reliance is part of our old nature that needs to be put to death as we acknowledge our utter and complete weakness and dependance on God. For when we come to the end of ourselves…this is where God’s grace begins.

Lord, I cannot hold back my fear & anxiety when life takes a sudden turn for the worse. But I know You can, for You tell me in II Timothy 1:7 that You’ve not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. So with that reassurance I will rest confidently in Your Presence & fear not. (Psalm 4:8)

Lord, I cannot restrain my feelings of isolation and loneliness as a 24 hour Caregiver to my loved one. But You can…for you won’t leave me as an orphan, for the indwelling Holy Spirit is with me. (John 14:18) “And so Lord, I will praise You, Who counsels me; even at night as my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. And because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:7-8)

Lord, I cannot seem to regulate my weariness in persevering day in and day out as I care for someone. But I know You have invited me to find my rest in You. (Matthew 11:28) And as I do, I can hold fast to my confession of hope without wavering, for You are faithful in all Your promises. (Hebrews 10:23)

Lord, I cannot. But You can.

The founder of modern Nursing, Florence Nightingale, once wrote in her journal, ” God spoke to me and called me to His service.” So if we are to be His servants, we must first seek God’s guidance. Having had a Nursing career that spanned over 36 years, I’ve always admired Florence Nightingale’s life service to humanity & to God. But there were many times then, and even now as I care for my husband, that I was thrown into unfamiliar & frightening situations. But this Scripture in Isaiah makes it plain that God is continually walking beside me, removing obstacles that I can’t see, and instructing me to make my path straight. Or as Isaiah 26:7 says, “He goes before us, making our path level.” But the biggest comfort here is knowing that God is a merciful God that will neither leave or destroy or forget His Covenant promises. (Deuteronomy 4:31)

Submitting to God is a willing act of accepting the Authority of God. But a surrendered life in Christ means that we must first be willing to let go, before we can grasp something else. We must let go of sinful behavior with all its desires and allure in order to grasp wisdom, holiness, and new life through Christ. We must let go of self and with it pride, arrogance and seeking after our own interests, that we may instead grasp humility, modesty, and total obedience to the Lord. For if we’re unwilling to let go…we’ll never be able to grasp the things God has for us.

Across his letters in the New Testament, Paul’s gratitude and encouragement for God’s work of grace in others was a constant feature of his life. (Romans 1:8, I Thessalonians 1:2) He didn’t just say, “I’ll pray for you.” He actually did. And now when I see requests for prayer from friends, I have gotten in the habit of doing the same. Sure, a quick comment and a set of praying hands will show your concern…but to take the time to actually look up a Scripture and write a heart-felt prayer has eternal impact. The other day I did just that…asking the Lord for guidance to the right Scripture and writing a simple prayer. Little did I know that it was her all time favorite verse…and thus bearing witness to God’s great mercy, grace,& faithfulness. But what do I write you ask? I cover the foundational basics…Jesus loves you & remember what God has done for you in the past. I ask God for divine wisdom & revelation knowledge in order that they may know Him better, and finally I ask for hope & comfort to fill them as they fix their eyes on Jesus… for their good and His glory.