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Philippians 4:11 – Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (KJV)
"It is her quietness that speaks so loudly." At least that is what I believe the Holy Spirit was saying to me as I studied very closely the picture of the Mona Lisa that I found in the encyclopedia.
As I gazed at it, I noticed that the background was dark, desolate, and filled with crags. Yet, in the midst of this undesirable place, we find the beautiful Mona Lisa.
She has soft, gentle hands that appear to be marred; her fingers are long and graceful. Her eyes have the look of discernment and wisdom. Glancing at the cheekbone area, I see stolid peace. Her smile is intriguing — it makes me wonder if she had learned what it meant to be content.
I can't say that I've mastered being content in whatsoever state I am.
Far too many times, when I face certain circumstances, I find that I have head knowledge, but not necessarily heart knowledge.
As faithful and true as our loving God has been to me all through my life, far too often, I still find myself facing fears, doubts, and discontentment whenever a new trial or unforeseen circumstance arises.
Paul says, "I have learned to be content." It didn't happen overnight. You and I can find some comfort in that. Maybe, we haven't arrived yet, but praise God, it's our desire, and we are still willing to learn.
This poem depicts one of those times when I found myself struggling with the issue of contentment.
- A Flower In The Desert
Instead of just one little flower
A garden could have been mine
If during my stay in the desert
I hadn't grumbled and cried half the time
It took me a long time to realize
The reason why I was there
At first I thought He forgot about me
Or even worse that He just didn't care
Now I know it was His great love
That allowed me to walk through the pain
It was there in the valley of Baca
I saw more of God's victory and gain
When I stopped asking "Why have you left me?"
And to Him I surrendered in prayer
A strange thing suddenly happened
I realized He had always been there
May we learn to thank God for the opportunities that He gives us to implement what the apostle Paul teaches us in today's verse: learning to be content in whatsoever state we are.
Prayer: Dear Lord, although we may be slow learners, it is still our prayer and heart's desire to learn contentment. Thank You. Amen.
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Tuesday, May 30, 2023 – In Cuba — Ask the Lord to show each pastor how their church should be reaching out to their community to share the gospel and how to help those who are in the most desperate circumstances. Pray for those who are discipling new Christians, helping them to learn to trust and obey their Saviour. Pray these new Christians learn to make prayer and obedience to Christ a priority.
A Difficult Situation update: "Update May 29, 2023. Thank you for all your prayers. Please continue to pray for both S, and J."
Wow!
Well Done.
Another good one, Cheremiah.
Thank you for sharing your faith and understanding today, Cherimiah.
Oh, my, Cheryl, I certainly can identify with this! And I have enough history behind me that I should know better!
Thanks for writing this today. Something I struggle with as well, being content in all circumstances and not worrying about things. I like your poem, too. God bless and keep writing.
Amen Cheryl. Indeed, it is a growing in contentment and praise God as long as we are open to His Spirit that is exactly what He is doing within us.
Blessings.
Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing this devotional and poem with us. It occurred to me that the poem might become a hymn if you could work together with the right musically gifted person to set this poem to music. Blessings.
Thank you, Cheremiah! This was a very timely post for me. I have a pinched nerve since before Christmas and my patience has been really running out. Your writing and poem were great reminders that I so needed.
God bless!
Hello my friend~
That was beautiful and a good lesson to learn, just to be content, God provides everything we need and when we need it. great poem also.
I have been thinking about you and trusting God was looking after things for you.
Dear Cheryl,
Many thanks for your PresbyCan post of today. It helped to bring home to me how important it is to be properly content both in the head and the heart.
What you said he’s been in my mind for most of today and I hope in my heart from now on.
Greetings Cheremiah,
Thank you kindly for another great devotional writing. You do such a special effect with creating poems. Yes, we definitely need to learn to be more content and more praise worthy to our loving God.
Blessings,
(Ecuador)
Dear Cheryl,
I pray that we will both, “Rest in the Lord, seek peace, and pursue it” — “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is contentment; is it not?
I am with you in your prayer.
Keep writing.
Dear Cheremiah,
What joy to see the opportunities for growth bloom in the desert of Baca. I recently learned about Baca when a friend told me she was going to watch the flowers of God’s good intentions bloom from the challenge of the Baca experience. Now you have reinforced the concept. Praise His name that you shared along with your heartfelt poem.
(CA USA)
Dear Cheremiah,
Your Devotion reminds me that God is still at work in my life, and in others.
The more I trust God and surrender all to Him, the more content I will learn to be. The Lord is my Shepherd. He is faithful.
Hi Cheryl,
Enjoyed your devotional as usual. I saw the Mona Lisa once in a museum in Paris, I believe it was. I did not see everything you saw. You have a far more artistic eye than I do apparently.
Love the poems you always write and it is, indeed, a blessing when we can be content with our situation at all times.
Blessings.