Contentment is Serenity, Gladness, Satisfaction, Pleasure, Happiness; It is defined as the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.
The essence or heart of all the commands of God is summed up by Jesus in the single greatest command to love God with all your heart, soul and mind (Matt. 22:37). In other words, look to God alone for the true satisfaction, gladness, serenity and contentment of your heart, your soul and your mind.
All sinful expression may be boiled down to some pursuit of contentment – either of the heart, the soul or the mind – in some thing or place other than the God of the universe. Look to the times when you and I sin… this is where we may find our desire to find our contentment in people, stuff, reputation or life experience – rather than in God.
The painful reality is that you and I are adulterous, thieving, lying and covetous people.
For now (and always), let us both rejoice in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is not adulterous, thieving, lying or covetous. He is faithful, diligent, honest, and perfectly contented.
This is great news, not simply because of His example, but because He is our representative – the substitute for all those who trust in Him! God the Father looked to Christ the Son and judged Him, the righteous and obedient servant, evil so that those of us who actually are evil would be given Jesus’ perfect righteousness.
What a beautiful scandal of grace! Oh, that my heart and yours would behold this wonderful Gospel more clearly today…
My hope and yours is not that we might become faithful enough, diligent enough, or honest enough that we are acceptable before God. Certainly we strive for a life of holiness, but… Our hope is that God has declared us perfectly faithful, diligent and honest – not because we practically are such, but because Christ has covered our rebellion and given us His righteous obedience!
Today, let us be content to behold (drink in with your mind’s eye) the King of Glory as we remember that He is our Redeemer (the one who bought us back from bondage at great personal cost) and not our Judge (the one who rightly condemns us for being the sinful rebels we are)!
Holding the Line 