What is the main point of this passage? Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians from prison in Rome. As he closes out his writing, he thanks them for their concerns for his well-being and then offers them some powerful encouragement. He is basically saying, "Hey guys, thank you for thinking of me and praying for me, but I want you to know that I am truly content." Wait...what? Paul you are in jail for teaching about Jesus Christ and you are content? Shouldn't he be bitter...should he be really upset that serving God got his butt thrown in jail? No he shouldn't, because Paul actually lives out his faith. In Paul's mind it is ridiculous to praise God and be joyful when things are going well, and then to refuse to praise Him when things are going badly. That is not really faith...faith as Hebrews 11:1 tells us, is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." If we really have faith, then we are sure of the future hope we have in God...if we have faith, then we are certain that God is in control and that He is working out His plan in the world even when we don't understand it. That means that faithful people like Paul understand that contentment is centered on the nature of God and not how smoothly our lives are going. God, as we talked about yesterday, is unchangingly good and faithful and if we place our trust in Him we will be able to find joy in even the worst of circumstances.
What part of this passage spoke most deeply to you? It has to be way that Paul confidently states that he is content. He is in jail for crying out loud!!! I cannot even imagine how sulky and whiny I would be in I had been thrown into jail for being a Christian. I can really see myself playing the old "woe-is-me" card....saying, "God, I trusted you...I gave my life to ministry and this is how you repay me?" Yet, here we find Paul...encouraging the people who aren't in jail! Do you get that? He is worried about the Christians who are worried about him...he takes this opportunity to drive a powerful message home to the new Christians in Philippi that he is ministering to...he says, "I have found the secret to contentment, and it is centered wholly around God." Paul's message rings loud and clear in my ears, because I so often forget the secret he had discovered. I try to find contentment in success, in pleasure, in entertainment, in sports, in work, in others...and it always leaves me empty...I am always looking for more. I have been struggling with contentment for a few years now...I have been wrestling with a deep dissatisfaction and I can't quite put my finger on why I am experiencing these feelings. I think Paul has shed some light on the subject...I have been so busy thinking about the perfect life, the perfect job, the perfect ministry position, that I have forgotten to fully drink in the perfection of God. That is where satisfaction is found...that is where contentment is found...in the living water that Jesus offered the woman at the well. That is what I need...and that is where I am going to find the contentment that Paul so boldly claims.
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