Luke 12:22–24: “Then He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?'”

February 23rd, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Jesus was speaking to a people who were use to having to farm and fish for their daily food. In fact, 1st-century people spent most of their life in the pursuit of just getting enough food to eat. And when it came to clothing, they had to shear the sheep, spin the wool into thread, weave the thread into cloth, and then finally sew it together. Having clothes to wear wasn’t as simple as going to the local department store. So it was perhaps more significant to them than it is to us when Jesus said, “Do not worry” about what you’ll eat or wear.

Is contentment a result of wealth, power, beauty, or fame? Just ask the wealthy, powerful, beautiful, and famous people who are currently at the expensive drug-and-alcohol rehab programs in Palm Desert. Many who live in the limelight are singing the same old song, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” Even though our modern world seems preoccupied with the search for happiness, few ever find it. We are barraged with messages telling us that happiness depends upon the acquisition of material goods. But no one finds lasting contentment in things. Those messages are simply false advertising.

Contentment is not the result of acquiring more, but of being thankful for what we already have. Satisfaction, authentic, genuine contentment, springs from a thankful heart. It is a choice we make, a choice to be thankful. Godly contentment is yours for the “thanking.” It happens that as we lift up our voice to Father God, who is the Giver of all that is good, thanking Him for the blessings in our lives, our contentment grows.

“Thank you, LORD, for the abundance of good things that You have given to us. We are blessed.”