What brings you satisfaction? When do you feel the most content?
Is it when your dreams, wants, pleasures, and expectations are fulfilled exactly the way you hope?
Is it when life flows along like a peaceful river and you’re totally relaxed?
Maybe, it’s when politicians, finally(!), get it right, according to your convictions?
Perhaps, it’s a perfect day blended with just enough good conversation, great food, rest, activity, and friends: not too much, just enough?
I’ve asked myself that question, and discovered that what I think will be satisfying for me are the following: enough usefulness to feel valued; enough alone-time to refresh my soul; and, a good book in one hand, a frosted diet-lemonade from Chick-Fil-A in the other, and a lounge chair overlooking the ocean.
It seems like this would be practically perfect in every way.
But, the truth is that these things are only temporary.
Once they are removed from the picture of our lives, the satisfaction goes away…
So, can we ever find fulness of contentment?
What got me to ponder this question is a passage I stumbled over (on God’s HESED, of course) in the Psalms (#90).
Moses wrote Psalm 90.
He’s old when he wrote it (almost around 115-ish); and, he has just lost his sister, Miriam, and his brother, Aaron.
So, it’s not surprising that most of the psalm is Moses reminiscing on the brevity of life and what matters most.
Smack dab in the midst of the psalm, he writes these words in a prayer to the Lord (vs 14):
Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, O Lord, that we may be glad and rejoice…
Moses has many a reason to be discontent and unhappy.
Yet, amidst his loss, grief, and the troubles of wilderness wandering, he reaches out for renewed satisfaction.
Satisfaction, it appears is a gift from the Lord, obtainable on a daily basis in spite of what is happening in our lives.
According to the Apostle Paul, it’s a learned attitude.
I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content. Philippians 4:11b
And, Moses assures us that we’ll discover this very important frame of mind when we look for it in God’s steadfast love (HESED).
He suggests the following:
Taking time to create margin in our mornings to reflect on how greatly God cares for us with His everlasting, inexpressible, incomparable, awe-striking, loyal love changes how we approach each day, all day (with gladness and rejoicing!).
In fact, Moses seems to remind us that it’s hard to be dissatisfied, grumbly, and whiny once we’ve reflected on this HESED.
He should know.
He’s led dissatisfied, grumbly and whiny people for nearly 40 years in the worst of conditions.
By now, he’s figured out a thing or two as to what helps this poor attitude.
I love how Eugene Peterson assures us (Ps 90:14 in The Message) that when we behold God’s HESED, we will be “singing and dancing all day long!”
Think about it.
We could experience satisfaction EVERY! SINGLE! DAY!
Not only that, but, I imagine folks would look with astonishment, wondering why our lives looked so different from the rest of the average people with which they are in contact.
The GOOD NEWS is that because God’s HESED is never-ending and everlasting, we have never-ending and everlasting satisfaction.
Full contentment for all-time.
It’s possible to be completely content on a permanent basis!
There’s no better time to ponder God’s heart of HESED than during this Lenten season.
His love for us can’t be any more obvious than during these days as we journey toward the cross and the resurrection.
Are you practicing your singing and dancing? Easter’s around the corner – what a great time to spare no effort!
Start the celebration…and, keep it going as you let the Lord “satisfy you each morning with His steadfast love.”
