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The Path to Contentment - Perception

I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. Psalms 131:1 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.131.1.NIVUK The Hebrew words here are very interesting. The word translated 'concern myself' carries the sense of walking among or seeking. Both the 'great matters' and 'things too wonderful for me' both have an aspect of pride about them, echoing the first part of the verse. 'Great matters' can also be used of God, and 'things too wonderful for me' refers to things which are beyond my understanding. This verse has to be understood correctly. It does not bar us from seeking to understand the universe and how it works. God has laid the information in front of us. We just have to understand it. However, there are some things that we don't understand and are not supposed to. These are the areas where God wants us to trust Him. Let me explain it another way. We discovered a very pretty woodland walk during Lockdown. There are a number of pathways to be explored. The walks are around a ravine, at the bottom of which there is a small river. The river is not deep and can easily be crossed. We were looking to find a shortcut across the river to the nature park on the other side. We found one, but heard there might be another. So we walked along one of the trails, looking for the new shortcut. Eventually we found a way across the river. However, it didn't take us long to see that on the other side there were barbed wire fences and large red signs that read 'Keep out! Private Property'. And another one saying 'Beware of the dog'. We had beautiful woodland to explore. But if we had crossed that river and climbed that fence then we would have been trespassing. What this verse is saying is not that David did not seek to know more about the world he was living in. No, what it means is that he did not trespass into the things of God where he had no business being. He knew his limits. Luke provides another way of understanding this. He provides us with a contrast of two people who received wonderful messages: the elderly priest Zachariah and the teenage woman from a small provincial town, Mary. When Zechariah hears that he will become a father in his old age, he responds with disbelief (Luke 1:18). He questions God from a position of doubt, and because of this he becomes mute until the birth and naming of his son. Mary, however, when she hears that she will become pregnant with Jesus, reacts with faith (Luke 1:34). She believes, but just wants to know how it will happen. And so Gabriel, the same angel that rendered Zachariah mute, explains what will happen to her (Luke 1:35). Mary had a lot more to lose than Zachariah - even her life - for being pregnant out of wedlock. But she still believed God, even though it seemed impossible. And that is the fundamental difference. Zechariah questions God because he cannot see how this is possible. Mary questions God because she believes it's possible, but she can't see how. Plenty of people question God in the Old Testament. Moses questions God frequently. He starts by questioning how God will deliver Israel by his hand in Exodus 3 and 4. When God threatens to destroy Israel because of their sin, Moses frequently questions God. But Moses never doubts God. He never impugns his character. David also questions God. The Psalms contain his questions: Why, Lord , do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? Psalms 10:1 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.10.1.NIVUK My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? Psalms 22:1 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.22.1.NIVUK Is this how you feel right now? If so, please note that although David asks God why, he never once doubts God, and instead entrusts himself to God. In every case, David ends the psalm in a positive way, with an expression of faith in God. Also, even Jesus prayed the words of Psalm 22:1 from the cross. Job also questioned God - frequently in his book. However, he also expressed his faith in Him (Job 13:15). In all of this questioning of God, we see a number of key traits: 1) They all came from people who had faith in God, even if they faced hard times; 2) They never said anything bad about God's character; 3) Perhaps most interestingly, God did not always answer their questions. You see, even the most faithful, wisest, most insightful believer can come before God with serious and heartfelt questions and still get no answers. And that irritates us. We live in the information age. If we want to know anything, we can go on the internet and it's just there. However, Coronavirus has taught us that there are some things we cannot know. Try searching on the internet for "When will Lockdown end?" or "Will there be a second wave?" or "When will life get back to normal?" You'll find opinions and ideas, but no final, definitive answer. Why? It's because God knows but has locked that up behind a "No entry" sign. Try searching for "Why has Coronavirus happened?". You'll get the same thing. We have had to be taught the hard way that life still has mysteries and unknowns that cannot be known. We can be as frustrated as we like, but the only person who will suffer is us. David had to learn, through all his hardships and fleeing and family squabbles, that there are certain things which God keeps from us, and our contentment depends on our ability to accept this. I've asked all kinds of questions in my life. I asked why my dad died at just 48 years old. I asked why my grandmother died before other relatives who were much less nice. I asked why no girl would look at me while every one of my friends seemed to have a girlfriend. I asked why God did not give me the ability to play football. I can't remember receiving an answer. But once I learned to relinquish my desire to know everything and replaced it with faith in God when the answers didn't come, then I became contented. So we've seen that to be contented we need to control our desire for position and perception. The last desire to be controlled is our desire for POSSESSIONS, which is in my next post.

1 Comment


Barbara Downie
Barbara Downie
Sep 23, 2020

I enjoyed this blog Paul. Very good.

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