Content and Free

March 12, 2019

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

The spirit of “ER” in a financial sense is the biggest destroyer of life and health. We want bigger, greater, grander. When we are gripped by the spirit of ER, we want to upsize everything; supersize our lives. We are in an unspoken competition with those around us to have the next best, next greatest thing always. We change phone contracts just to get the latest and best, we are always upgrading cars, making sure all we have is trendy and right—contentment is not part of our life strategy. More and better is. We are always on the climb.

Jesus said the love of money and what it can get us is destructive to our lives. He urges us to defend ourselves against the erosion of “bigger, better, grander” and decide to be content with what we have, regardless of what our income level is at the moment. The dictionary says contentment is a pleasant state of satisfaction. Wouldn’t that be a great way to live? That’s what Jesus wants for us, and He says it comes from being free from the “ER” drive—wanting more and more.

Paul tells us it is not a magical change of heart. It is a personal choice: “Keep yourself free by being content from what you have.” My state of satisfaction is due to my choice, not my circumstance. Paul also tells us that the reason we can choose not to chase money and the power to make a new choice is that God has promised He would be with us always; He would never forsake us.

That’s quite a switch in perspective. It’s a little like this: Would you rather win $1,000 on a scratch off a lottery card, or be the adored child of a generous billionaire? Of course, you’d rather be the child, because you know you would be loved and cared for always. That’s the way with us. If we will choose to believe we are the loved, precious children of the One who owns it all, fear will subside and faith will grow.

An old Sunday School chorus says, “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the wealth in every mine. He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills, the sun and stars that shine. Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell! He is my Father, so they’re mine as well. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and I know that He will care for me.”

• This morning, just thank Him. Focus on gratitude all day.