Isaiah 61:1–3 – The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

THEME OF THE DAY: HE ALONE SATISFIES THE HUMAN HEART. We travel through this life on a road bringing us into harsh encounters with sorrow, sadness, and suffering. These encounters breed dissatisfaction and discontent into our souls. And that is inevitable and unavoidable. And for the Christian to think otherwise and look for satisfaction, contentment, and happiness in this life, no matter what the venue – material gain, human relationships, educational achievements, artistic expression, or vocational success is to live delusional and deceived. It just won’t happen. The world cannot deliver those things to the human heart. That doesn’t mean life lacks seasons of enjoyment and pleasure. It does. God’s grace gives such to believers and unbelievers alike. But generally speaking, life is exactly how Job described it – “Man who is born of woman is few of days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). And not to be left out, King Solomon echoes the words of Job, “For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This is also vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:23). This is not just an Old Testament proclamation. The Apostle Paul would tell some young believers in Asia Minor, “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22). Even our Master, the Lord Jesus, prepared us for a tough life in this world with these words, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). I guess I see the reality in what Job, Solomon, Paul and Jesus said as I grow older. In the midst of life’s pains and desires for contentment, peace, and satisfaction, the temptation is strong to seek them in all the wrong places, forgetting only the Lord Jesus can provide what our inner being craves. And the sooner we get to the place of not seeking in the world and people what only Christ can provide, the better we will be when it comes to living contented and satisfied lives pleasing to Him.

So, how do we get there? Well, I am not going to unfold a “Three step process to gain Inward Contentment.” Though I admit those words sound like a good title to add to the too many unbiblical self-help books flooding the market, even in Christian bookstores. This isn’t about what we do. It begins with what we think. As in all of the Christian life, it starts in our thinking. If we truly want satisfaction in our souls; contentment in a discontented world; and the ability to handle life’s sufferings, sorrows, and sadness with joy in the midst of pain, we must be convinced, I mean really convinced, the only place we will find those experiences is in a vibrant and living relationship with Jesus Christ. And it must be “all or nothing.” Christ is either all the believer’s satisfaction, contentment, and source of peace in troubled times or not at all. We cannot parse Christ or just allow Him to fit into our lives when we need comfort, help, and encouragement. Christ is a believer’s all in all and that all the time. He will not be hidden behind glass with a sign that reads, “In case of emergency, break glass for use.” Christ is too wonderful, too satisfying, and too glorious to be reduced down to a servant role of us coming to Him when we need or want something. He will not be a God who will allow us to be satisfied in Him and the world. Again, He is just too marvelous to be cheapened to be simply a part of our lives. He is all of our lives and that all of the time. And it is there, we find satisfaction for our hearts, not some time, but all the time.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for giving Your Son to heal my broken heart made so by my sin”

QUOTE: “There is only one place to get a healed heart, a new heart, and a clean heart; in the Person of the Lord Jesus.”