Last week I was reading in 1 Timothy and came across a small passage I have read often but this time it drew my attention more than times in the past. Here it is:
1 Timothy 6:6-9
Read it out loud and slowly (when I do this it always seems to come alive and be more real to me.). "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
So as I was reading this, right in front of me was this couch you see in the picture above. OH my love for this couch! I am actually using my sarcasm here (which I have little of). This couch I probably complain about at least once a week, and if not out loud I'm sure something goes through my head like "man I really want a new couch" pretty consistently. I really have no reason to complain because I promise you probably 75% of the things we posses in this house have been freely given to us!! Including this brown jewel. Jared and I were talking about it not to long ago and we came to find that the most pricy item in our house is something we bought not even a year ago. Drum roll.....our 6 dining room chairs. There was a groupon deal if you must know for Ashley furniture and we decided to go with the chairs. We are so wild!! Lol.
To think as the scripture says that I brought nothing into this world and can take nothing out draws me to a place of peaceful contentment. The materials of this world are enticing! Aren't they??? Everything around us in constantly evolving. I mean, as I sit here typing on this ipad2 that my sweetheart got me for my birthday (otter box protected, as he knows the clumsiness of his wife) they already have a ipad3 either already released or soon to be. Geez! It's hard to escape from, thats why I believe Paul urges not just godliness but godliness with contentment. I once heard David Platt say in reference to the parable of the seed and sower that the seed where the thorns come and choke it out due to the pleasures of this world is a gradual process. A thorn will wrap itself around and in a slow way choke out the plant. Seems applicable here. Just one little thing here then another, and another, and another till we are so consumed with having more stuff, and less of God and his word that the love of this world chokes us out.
As I sat there last week preaching to myself out loud it began to take root. And root is what I want. I want the things the Lord shows me to go deep and plant themselves in my heart and change my thinking. The eternal is what matters!! When we stand before our God on that great day it will just be me and him. Not any of my belongings from this earth. I (Stephanie) as a redeemed child will be judged according to what I did for HIM. Everything else will be burned up.
So how did I love? how did I serve? how was I a part of the great commission? did i faithfully train and disciple my kids? was I obedient to the little and big things God asked of me? did I sacrafice with joy all things for the one who gave his life for me? It's not about how much did people praise me for my works, or how perfect I could get my house/figure to look, or always longing for the next best thing this world has to offer? He is enough. Sometimes I have to say it again...He IS enough!!
God our great provider has given our family SO much to be forever thankful for. Just as a father delights in giving his children good things to bless them and see them smile, so much more does our heavenly father do the same for us. We are overflowing in fact sinking in his grace.
So this couch although it would be nice to have another one I will remain joyful for all that it does. It gives us cushion for our bottoms instead of sitting on a rock, allows us to have friends and family over so they can have a place to rest, and hey it's become "the place" our family gathers each night for family worship. Sorry for the rant on the couch it's just one of the things I struggle with amongst others :)
Heavenly Father, may my love for the things eternal ever continue to grow, and the stuff of this world grow dimmer and dimmer.
"turn you eyes upon Jesus look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace"
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