Psalm 34:10 Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing
Proverbs 6:16, 19 These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him. . . A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord (discontent) among brethren.
Proverbs 14:30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Philippians 4:11, 13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. . . I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1 Timothy 6:6-12 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
I think of tents and think of camping—hard ground and always there are many rocks, roots and sticks that seem to grow beneath my sleeping bag; and bugs, and dampness. I do enjoy a travel trailer—bed support, a small, but inside bath, and screens. I can camp and travel like this anytime.
But this title/headline was found in a book I have which quotes different church signs over the years. Shirley Jones Garmon did a wonderful job gathering and compiling these in a book entitled Marquee Messages: Sentence Sermons for the Church Sign, published by Pathway Press in 2000.
So this title of the world living in tents points to the two points on the continuum. . . content or discontent.
Where do you normally fall on that continuum? It’s a choice you/we make daily; therefore it is within our control how we will feel and act.
Years ago, I was always frazzled. I was a single mother, going to school full time and working full time. Thankfully, I had a wonderful family who were there to watch my son as I did all the activities needed to get us a job that could support us, and that I loved. I was anxious about school, about the development of my son, and the fact that I was home usually when he was going to bed at night. Would he even know me? Would this stressful time of commitment to other areas ever end and I could have more time for him? For me? Could I ever get a job and make more than minimum wage? Thankfully, my parents owned the house we lived in, and could wait for me to be able to pay rent and/or buy the house. But. . . I did not feel successful during that time. It was definitely a time of discontent and anxiety.
As life continued, changes came about as always happens in life, and we were able to fall into a better committed pattern. I had more time to have with my son, attend soccer games, read in the evenings, check his school work, and I grew more content.
Certainly, the more bible study I undertake—not always an official class, but my own exploring, including writing these blogs, gives me more contentment. I now have three grown, hard working children, all successful in their fields, and valuing their own children. I have many good friends, and I realize this is a huge blessing as many feel they have a few good friends, but not that many they can call on at any time. Although I just lost one of my best ones, I still am blessed with an abundance of folks I can rely on for prayer, to step forward an offer assistance if I was ill or unable to get groceries or whatever.
So, I am in a time of wonderful contentedness. And, although not everything is always smooth, I have learned to hand so much off to Him and His will. When feelings of stress and nerves might start simmering, the Holy Spirit reminds me I don’t have to fuss. With a sigh of relief, I think of the issue and offer my hands up as though instead of giving the anxiety, I am offering a gift. . . but it is taken, and I no longer have to fret or worry.
Certainly, there are still goals I would love to have, achievements still working toward, but I am content. That is a blessing and I try to pass on the thought of handing things over, and being more trusting. Anxiety, fear, stress, overwork, allowing yourself to be pulled into many different directions all leads to discontent. One can never get back lost time, and time is one of the vital gifts you have for your family and friends. Lost opportunity (ies) can never be retrieved, and can lead to permanent, significant and painful losses. Your family may totally drift away believing you don’t care. . . they can see what you strive to be doing and it does not feel to them that it is very much a part of them. God has a lot of say about family, teaching them, spending time with them, showing them how to do things, and He reminds us to rest, have one full day of rest with family, and that is worth far more than monies. Do the vital, important things, not the ones that cause you so much stress, anxiety, and discontent.
Spend time with family, praise their achievements, be an example of a loving partaker of what is the most important in this life. Don’t believe the lies and pressure of having to work more, harder, and longer to get. . . Realize the aspects of this life that are truly the most important and spend time enjoying those. Enjoy letting go of that stress in a big sigh, and feel the first fluttering of being content.
Thank You, Lord, that with Your assistance we traveled through those times, my son benefited from having wonderful grandparent times, and aunt and uncle times, and all the while he got to see the benefit of hard work, achievement, and then rest and relaxation. That is a wonderful life lesson. Thank You, God for directing my feet then, and since, and letting me feel the satisfaction being content has brought to me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Matthew 27:45–47, 50—54 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hours Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “Eli, Eli, lama sabahthani?” that is “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah.” … And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Mark 15:33-34, 37-39 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthini?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” … And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.”
Luke 23:44-47 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”
God created man to be with Him, to enjoy the company, and relationship with Him. Instead, after a period of time, the LIVE man and woman, chose EVIL, and brought sin into the Garden, and were banished. There was a VEIL separating man from God and the relationship God had created man to share with Him. Man and woman and sinned, thus created a VILE divide between themselves and God. It’s interesting to me that Live, Evil, Vile, and Veil all have the same letters—yet they all show different aspects of what man had and now caused—separation from God.
That one four letter word – LIVE, EVIL, VEIL, and VILE, all share the same letters, but all indicate we seem incapable of living life without sinning. We can all reflect how the lives of man sinned, committing a vile offense, causing God to cast them from the Garden, and basically separated them with a veil, since even Moses and Abraham were not allowed to see Him in the same manner that Adam and Eve had been privileged to live. The sin they committed was vile to God, and they were cast out.
Several hundred years later, as God showed Moses how to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and how to live following His guidance and commands, He showed Him how to construct a tent of worship while they resided in the desert. God instructed the Tabernacle to have a thick and impressive curtain designed to separate it from the high priest and the people. Only the priests could have access to the interior of the Tabernacle, and the High Priest of the year was the only one who could enter the Holiest of Holies on the Day of Atonement, and that was one day a year. God kept them separate, hopefully so they could respect and revere the Creator; they could teach, lead, and guide His people in the ways they should live, not committing evil, vile sins.
A few thousand years after they traversed the desert and finally reached the Promised Land, Jesus’s sacrificial death atoned for our sins, and tore our separating veil, IF we believe, and recognize Him as Savior and willingly follow Him.
Our Lord and Savior took all sin on Himself and became the final Sacrifice and Atonement for us so we could have everlasting life upon our physical death and could live forever with the trinity of God. The veil was torn in two distinct and separate parts when Jesus breathed His last. The sky became dark during the last three hours he hung on the cross, laboring for breath, and the earth erupted with earthquake, and darkness covered the area. It amazes me that there is little written in the gospels about the earthquake…it is only recorded in Matthew 27. Mark 15:33 and Luke 23:44,45 only record the darkness and the curtain in the temple being torn in two from top to bottom. There would be no question in my mind seeing any of those things that this was the Son of God, and we, the people had followed meekly allowing the Pharisees and church leaders to kill God’s chosen One.
However, in the International Geology Review published in May 2012, stated there was significant seismic activity at the Dead Sea, 13 miles from Jerusalem on April 3, 33 AD, which seems to coincide with Matthew’s account. Reports of the earthquake only occur in the book of Matthew. I wonder why it was not mentioned in other accounts. It seems so huge to me that (an earthquake) and things occurred yet were only documented by one of the witnesses. Mark and Luke mention darkness covering the land during the time of hanging on the cross, and the curtain being torn. Never being in much of an earthquake, I know that would make an impression for me!
And I cannot believe those arrogant Pharisees did not fall to their knees in fear and trepidation and confession for what they had done which caused these visual and frightening occurrences. What was their reaction entering the temple and seeing the torn curtain? Did they try to blame that on vandals also?
Lord, You know the flash of the letters of one of these words triggered the idea for this blog. Thank You for the gift of Your Son who opened the way so we could live without a veil if we recognize and confess our vile and evil sins. I thank You for opening my way to You through Your Son and His gift and Atonement for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke
Psalm 32:8 I will instruct and teach you in the way which you shall go; I will guide you with my eye.
Isaiah 54:13 All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.
Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.
Parenting fears.
I saw a very agitated Canadian goose today. I don’t know if it was male or female, but it was definitely a parent. One of the goslings had wandered out to the street as traffic was passing. The drivers slowed, and suddenly the parent goose put itself between the oncoming traffic and the baby goose. It scolded the youngster back to the side of the road, wings flapping and squawking, and then hurried to the sidewalk. The baby was safe, but the parent continued raising and lowering its head, feathers ruffling, wings still occasionally expanding, and still letting out an annoyed sounding squawk.
And I knew, because I recognized the symptoms from years ago in myself, that that parent goose was trying to ease the fright, the panic, the adrenalin which surged at the potential loss of its child. Adrenalin surges when you have a big fear. And to any parent, the potential loss of a child is the worst fear.
Years ago, when my son was still in diapers, about 18 months old, I was gardening while he played with toys nearby. Suddenly, I could hear a large truck downshifting fairly rapidly. I glanced around, spotted my son missing, and jumped up to find he had toddled into the street. I have no idea how I made it from the garden to him in the road as fast as I did, maybe it was a kind of flight, but thankfully, I was there and snatching him back. And I knelt and hugged him, then spanked the diaper-covered bottom, then hugged him again, crying and thanking God. The fear, the ‘almost’ which was prevented, and the relief had this cluster of feelings storming my system—the same as the poor goose who strutted trying to “smooth its feathers.”
Have you ever watched a mother cat or dog, when those rowdy youngsters start escaping from their box or pen, or maybe they are just driving the mother to distraction and giving her no free rest. There may be a swat or a nip to warn the youngster enough is enough. If you watch nature shows, you’ll see how dolphins care for their young, and steer them to making right decisions, not endangering themselves. Bear mothers train their young for eighteen months teaching them to avoid adult males which could harm or even kill them, teaching them the best places to acquire food whether it be berries, carcass of a dead animal, seeking honey, how to fish and so forth. Parents of many species care for and train their youngsters for a period of time, then, as God has encouraged, we release them and hope and pray they have the skills and strength to make good decisions. For many animals, there is an innate caring for the young. And it’s pretty awesome to see how our Creator has structured this in His universe.
Animals which raise their children have concern for their safety, supply their needs, teach their children until the child is old enough to be out on its own. But until then the worry, concern, and diligence are all there. And sometimes one can see parents of other species have the same feelings we have. And I find that awesome to see! It breaks my heart to see a dead baby deer or whatever and know the family has been disrupted and there is a loss in the herd, clan, group.
Amazing that God has made us similar. Wonderful stories help me realize how similar he has made many of His creatures. They give me and ‘mybellaviews’ surges with delight and thankfulness. Glad your baby is safe, goose.
Lord, I so appreciate the beauty You have created and allow me to see glimpses of. You are in charge for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Today, I was again enthralled with the changes which come in early spring. The trees are full of red buds and each day this week, they have become fuller and richer maroon. Tomorrow some may have burst forth with a granny smith apple green color–the newest show of green leaves, baby leaves ready to burst forth. Tiny blossoms not yet fully free from the buds cradling the leaves they will develop into. It amazes me the daily progression you can watch as the trees develop their new growth and finally explode into the green color that proclaims it an oak, an elm, a glorious maple. I just love this birth of spring; a true blessing given to us at the beginning of time by our Creator.
And I also saw some crab apple trees in full blossom of pink flowers just dotting landscapes with their happy blushing buds. With no other sound except the rustling of leaves, the buds dance, another proof to me that all living things change and enjoy spring.
And because I can’t seem to contain my impatience for flowers and my garden to sprout at this time of year, I went to Lowes and purchased some plants and some shrubs and spent the day planting. Today, it feels I worked out for a half hour with a football team and was tackled often, but my garden looks vibrant. Because of lessons learned in the past, I was able to not purchase so many flowers forgetting bulbs and plants that will be poking upwards in the next couple of weeks. As I was out cutting this dead branches, pulling a couple of weeds, it was obvious that some greenery was emerging, pushing at the mulch covering it.
I am so blessed to have eyes to see, ears to hear, nose to smell, and the ability to enjoy the warmth and brightness of the sun.
I hope you are enjoying God’s blessing this spring….and every spring. Thanks for sharing some favorites of mybellaviews.
Exodus 20:3-5 You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of ANYTHING that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God . . .
Exodus 34:14 for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God
Deuteronomy 4:35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him.
Deuteronomy 32:39 Now see that I, even I, am He and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.
2 Samuel 7:22 Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; and besides Me, there is no God.’
Isaiah 45:5-7 I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, that they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other;
Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever
James 2:19 You believe there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble.
I think this first commandment is pretty important to God…not only is it number one listed of all the commandments, but it is repeated throughout centuries of different authors who received God’s given Word to repeat, teach to us, and direct us. Yes, important! THERE IS NONE, NO OTHER GOD, BUT HIM.
As the Israelites first were led out of Egypt, they were relieved, excited, apprehensive, and had to be expectant. Yet, they soon realized the Egyptians had changed their minds and were now pursuing them. Of course, they were fearful, mistrustful, and wished for the certainty of what they had known even though the conditions they had lived under were not wonderful. They knew what those were, and out in the open desert were now getting frightened for what they could not see, the travel and the fear of the unknown.
While in Egypt, the Israelites witnessed the miracles of the plagues God sent on Pharaoh and the Egyptians. They saw this. They saw how they were protected from the loss of their firstborns, animals as well as children. They were told to sprinkle blood over their doorpost with hyssop, and then heard the crying, wailing, and utter bereavement of the Egyptians who had lost their firstborns, children and animals. They had witnessed miracles.
God gave a bunch of commands and rules and laws—what they could and could not eat, when they were considered clean and unclean, what was considered good, and what was considered not worthwhile. He also gave them the Ten Commandments—and while writing them, the Israelites decided they wanted to have a “god” they could see and worship, something visible to worship. It had only taken a few days for them to mistrust God, and obviously Moses, and they were quick to leave God behind, even after He had delivered water from a rock, parted the Red Sea and ensured their safety while crossing and then ensuring the Egyptians all died as the waters flowed over them. They had experienced all sorts of miracles; yet they chose to run to something THEY constructed, nothing that was a miracle, nothing that would help and feed or supply them with anything.
Although they saw how God ensured they were released from the Egyptians, brought forth water from rocks to feed their multitude as well as the huge herds of sheep, goats, and cattle, led them with fire by night and a cloud by day, and were promised a land of milk and honey, yet they could so easily be swayed away from God.
I do know that sometimes there are worldly allures which pull us, urge us, entice us away from God, and temptations which reach out to us. But I do find it hard to think these Israelites could so easily beg Aaron for a visible “god” and then they formed one, threw gold into a pot and formed a molten calf. Aaron had been beside Moses throughout all of this—ten plagues, parting of the Red Sea, seeing water delivered from a rock and so forth. How was it so easy for Aaron to turn aside from his brother and all he had seen? How could he be so easily led away from God and the miracles he had experienced? He was the priest, the religious leader of these people, and yet, he walked away from the true God, within days as his brother was gone for a total of forty days; at the pressure and complaints of the people, he was easily swayed.
And if the people made it, carved, formed it however, how can they then say it is a god? Human created or formed? Certainly not the God given water out of rock, the manna arriving each morning of their travels, not the birds that came every day….
How often do we give up waiting, losing patience with God’s promises, and reverting to something to assuage our feelings of loss, frustration, impatience, and try to take matters into our own hands? Certainly, I have railed against waiting, and waiting, and. . . . Oh, the number of times, I took matters into my hands and was utterly disappointed. But it was the MY desire, outcome, wish that became what I was worshiping and too impatient to see what, and when God would deliver. And I won’t know until I am sitting with Him and He imparts then, and maybe He won’t. But certainly, my hands have made some mistakes in my life, since I couldn’t wait for the “busy God.” so I’d help Him out.
Yet, Abraham waited for forty years to have his own son with his wife. He believed and held onto God’s promises. And when God told him to sacrifice Isaac, he willingly packed up the supplies, and carried the youngster to the mountain where he’d been told to sacrifice the boy. He trusted God would provide the sacrifice. He waited, expectantly, all the while doing exactly as God commanded
Before the child was born, Sara became impatient and encouraged her husband to have a child with her slave. And again, serious issues developed because she had taken matters into her hands; what does it take for us to believe and wait on Him with trust?
There’s an entire book written that encourages us to wait on His promises, that tells us He alone is the ONLY GOD; He alone is with us always; He alone tells us to not fear, not grow weary of trusting in Him. Yet, often, we drift as though on an air mattress tossed into the ocean and without anchor, we doze off, then waking find ourselves much further away from shore than is safe and healthy.
Story after story tells of the need to wait. A savior would be provided; a star would shine in the town to announce the birth; He would be borne of a virgin…. The Israelites waited hundreds of years for a savior. There is always waiting throughout the bible; because that is life. We wait for His promises.
I pray I don’t give in to further impatience about anything I am waiting for in my life. In truth, it has become easier to wait. I believe His timing is perfect. It may still not be my timing preference, but still, I have seen time and again, that He comes and answers. So I’ve learned to hand over my impatience; sometimes, annoyingly it pops back into my head. So, while thinking of it, I pretend it is in my hands, then raise it to God to take away, so I can no longer actually think of it. It’s in His hands; no longer mine to keep. This “god” of worry is no God, and therefore, should not be worshiped.
He alone is God, and the One to be feared and revered. Thank You for helping me grow through Your Words, Your promises to me fulfilled. You have been wonderfully with me as I travel and learn through this blessing of life You have given me. Thank You for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!