Contentment and Godliness

 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 Tim 6:6-7

Some questions: Is godliness without contentment any good? Is contentment without godliness any good? I had to laugh at myself for even typing that. That one is too easy – of course not. In fact, that is probably one of the biggest reasons people don’t consider salvation through Jesus Christ. They are quite content in their own little kingdom thinking they have it made. No thoughts for the future beyond their death. They are lulled to sleep by sinful pleasures and the world that is now telling them there isn’t anything beyond the grave.

But the first question is a bit harder to answer. Certainly, there are many godly people who serve the Lord, living holy lives, and being obedient. Even though they are to all appearance to others and even to themselves, they are godly, but are they content? Sure, some are content and even though they are quite godly, we know that no one is completely godly. Even so, a lack of contentment exposes the sin that hinders growth in holiness and therefore a deficiency in godliness.  

Contentment in this context of 1 Timothy 6 is primarily with money and what happens when we are not content with what we have. But it doesn’t stop with money or other possessions. The big question that will lead to contentment and godliness is, are we content with our godliness. This too can go in different paths. I can be content with my godliness and therefore think I’ve arrived (bad path). Or I can be discontent with my godliness and realize how far I still need to go (good path). Or I can be content with knowing that God is in control and is working in me and bringing me forward in sanctification (better path). That is when godliness with contentment is great gain.

Lord, help me be content in you and keep on growing in godliness, not arriving but looking forward to the day when it will be complete.

Bargaining with God

 17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name! Ps 80:17-18

I find this same concept in places in the Bible. Here, Asaph asks God to save them through the king or possibly the nation (vs 14-15). He could be talking about asking for the Messiah to come and that is certainly the way some have looked at it. But I think he is talking about the king that is currently on the throne. In the psalm, he has asked for God to turn and restore the nation probably just before Jerusalem was destroyed or the first time Babylon took away captive, so I don’t think he had the Messiah in mind. What I see is someone, or a people, who are in desperate need and ask for deliverance before they will repent. This is a foxhole prayer. Save me from the enemy then I will go to church.

When I was in the Navy and flying over the ocean. I had been working in a back compartment and had returned to my seat as the radioman. I looked out my window and it was covered with oil. The propeller on the one engine was not turning. I put on my headset and listened to the conversation between the pilot and another aircraft. The other plane identified itself as “Dumbo 73.” I thought, wait, Dumbo is a designation for a search and rescue plane. My plane was search and rescue plane but the pilot was using standard designation. That’s when it hit me. While I was in the back, the engine on our plane sprung a leak and was shut down. The other plane was coming to escort us back to Midway Island and rescue us if we went into the drink.

That’s when I, a non-believing catholic prayed. “Lord if you get us back safely, I’ll go to church every Sunday. Then I stopped and said, no, I probably won’t do that, but I’d still like to get back safely.” I wanted to bargain with God. And quite frankly, it is still a temptation and in some ways, I think I still do.

Lord, help me serve you without any hidden agenda or motivation. You have already saved me so help me serve you without any “ifs.”