God-Honoring Discontentment

I have to admit that I am often very discontent. And this isn't really a problem.

You might ask, Why? After all, don't the Scriptures tell us to be content (see 1 Timothy 6:6 and Philippians 4:11)? Yes, they do. Indeed, we are to be content with what God has given us. And I am.

But I still live with major discontentment. In fact, it's a God-honoring discontentment. I am not content with a lot in this world.

• I am discontent when I see the faults of political systems in countries around the world.
  

• I am discontent when I see injustice everywhere.

• I am discontent when I learn more about evil practices like abortion and human trafficking.
  

• I am discontent at the filth that is so easy to access on the internet.
  

• I am discontent with the sinfulness in my own heart, and the countless times per day when I dishonor my Lord or hurt people that I love.
  

With these things I should be discontent! It is a God-honoring discontentment. These painful aspects of our world serve as constant reminders that I was made for heaven, and this world is certainly NOT heaven. My discontentment with this world helps me long even more for heaven.

• God has wired me to long for His perfect justice, so it is right that I should not be satisfied with anything less than that.
  

• God has wired me to care about all the people who are created in His image, so I should be upset when people are treated like animals (as in human trafficking) or are killed without any defense (as in abortion).
  

• God has wired me to hate sin, even though it still entices me. I should be upset by the rampant sin that is all around me, as well as the sin that is in my own heart.

Dear Christians, while we remain in this world, we should be discontent with the things that dishonor our Lord. But instead of criticizing these things or the people who do them, let us work to show God's light to a world that is full of darkness. And let us remember that one day all the pain of this sin-sick world will melt away when we see Jesus face to face.

Christian Husbands and Fathers: Finger Pointing

Christian Husbands and Fathers: Finger Pointing: By nature we are great at pointing fingers of blame. The pattern starts in early childhood. "Johnny, did you break this toy?" What is four...

Neil Armstrong and Faith in Jesus

Neil Armstrong died today at the age of 82. On earth, he will be remembered for many remarkable achievements, including walking on the moon.

Neil Armstrong was a great man in many ways. When my son did a project about him a couple of years ago, I was thrilled to review many of the details of Armstrong's life and career. He was not perfect, but he was a man we rightly look up to.

Still, when his earthly life ended, only one accomplishment really mattered at that very moment. During his 82 years on this earth, did he place his faith in Jesus Christ?

That matter alone affects every person's entrance (or non-entrance) into heaven. We are not saved by our accomplishments, no matter how wonderful they may be. We are not saved by our wealth or our fame. We are only saved through a relationship with Jesus Christ. We are only saved when we admit we are a sinner (Romans 3:23) and that our sin deserves death (Romans 6:23). We need to confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). We need to stop trying to earn God's favor and simply accept the free gift He has offered us (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Have you given your life to Jesus Christ? If not, would you do so now?

Pictures

I take tons of pictures. When I used film-based cameras, I took too many pictures; now that pictures are digital, I really overdo it.  

Pictures help tell a story of a particular point in time. When I look back at pictures from years ago, they help me recall significant events, funny moments, and cherished memories of loved ones. 

Here's the inherent challenge: a picture only records one moment in time, and by itself it cannot give us a complete perspective. A picture may be worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, but it still fails to convey anything to our senses of hearing or smell or taste or touch. A picture provides only a small glimpse of a brief moment in a person's life. 

Why have I brought up this topic? I have three interrelated thoughts about how this idea applies to our study of the Bible.

1) The words of the Bible give us many pictures of the character and nature of God. Each picture by itself is fully true, yet incomplete. We do our best to assemble the snapshots and understand how they all fit together, but our understanding is not as complete as we might really wish it to be. Still, each picture is a valuable revelation of His character. 

2) The words of the Bible give us many pictures of history. Still, there are huge gaps. Two thousand years of history are condensed into the chapters of Genesis. Large periods of time are summarized by only a few verses here and there in Scripture. Three years of Jesus' earthly ministry are conveyed all too briefly in the words of the gospels.

3) The words of the Bible give us many pictures of the future. Each picture helps us know valuable details, but they are merely snapshots. These pictures cannot begin to convey the glories of heaven, the horrors of hell, or the moment-by-moment details of the Great Tribulation. We study these pictures and we stand boldly on the things that the Bible clearly teaches, but we hold with a loose grip those things we fill in as we try to pull those pictures together.

As hard as it may be, we need to become content with not having every detail. God has told us so much, and we can study His revelation - the Bible - fervently so we can know its teachings well. We want to dwell on the things we know, and be content with the things we don't know or don't completely understand. 

One day when we are in the presence of God in heaven, we may learn more detail that will fill in some of the gaps in our understanding. For now, we rest in knowing that God is the sovereign Author of history and of the future. We live daily with gratitude for the many snapshots God has given us - snapshots of His holiness, His love, His grace, and His invitation to us to know Him more. And we fill in the gaps with our faith and trust in Him. 

Tell His Disciples...And Peter

It is the morning of the resurrection. The angel is making a great announcement to the women who had thought they were coming to the tomb to embalm Jesus's body. As part of the announcement, the angel says these words as recorded in Mark 16:7: "But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he [Jesus] is going before you to Galilee."

I love the two words: "and Peter"! Peter had denied Jesus three times. He was familiar with Jesus's teaching: "whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:33). I suspect Peter felt like a total outcast, unworthy of Jesus's love or forgiveness.

With two gracious words Jesus reached out in forgiveness: "and Peter." Peter was still to be counted among he disciples. He was to be included with those who would be the first to meet Jesus face to face after His resurrection. He was not an outcast; Jesus still loved him.

These words of grace and forgiveness have often been extended to me as well. When I have sinned and feel ashamed and unworthy of God's love, I hear Jesus call to me with grace and forgiveness. It's as if He's saying, "and Brian."

There is nothing you can do that would make you unworthy of God's love and forgiveness. Even if you feel totally unworthy, will you turn to Him today?