CONTENTMENT
John Speirs
1 Peter 1: 18-20 (to “world”); 6-9; 3: 4
One thing I recall about our sister was that she was a contented person. She was marked by quiet contentment. We are in a world that is marked by discontent and dissatisfaction, because persons feel they will not be content until they have something greater in terms of place in the world, or material, silver or gold; and when they do get it they realise that they still want more, that they are dissatisfied and they are discontented. Now our sister, it would appear, did not have any large possessions as far as this world is concerned, or any great place or fame in this world’s system, but she was contented. Why was it? What was the secret of her quiet contentment? She had something that was more precious than these things of the world! She had something in her heart that was more precious than all that the world could offer, all the silver and the gold, the fame or the recognition of this poor world - she had a valuation of the precious blood of Jesus.
It is at times like this that God would ask us, individually, ‘What do you value?’. Do you value the things of the world? Or do you value the things that God offers you? The blood of Jesus, do you value that? Our sister valued it. She knew that that was the basis of her peace with God. Nothing else can be that, friend; only the blood of Jesus can give you peace with God. Do you believe it, accept it for yourself? Shelter under it; be restful in your spirit before God, knowing that all your sins are covered by that precious blood shed once at the cross by Jesus. It is precious blood; Peter knew it was precious. Well, is it precious to me? That is the question at a time like this. What do you hold to be precious? Death is a sobering time. It is a time when certain things must be left behind. Natural links are broken; material things are left behind. Why would you put value on things that must be left behind at death? Put value on things that go through into eternity, where your never-dying soul will be forever: will it be with the Lord? Put your faith and trust in the blood of Jesus now and your eternal salvation, like our sister’s, will be secure, and you can have peace with God. That is part of the contentment you can have.
But then, there is precious faith too. It speaks here of various trials, and our sister knew what these things were. She suffered in her body and her mind as our brother has said, but she had faith, and that is precious; it says, “much more precious than of gold which perishes”. So that faith in the blood of Jesus initially secured her eternal salvation, but then day by day, week by week, month by month that salvation was proved. And as you realise that God is there for you, to help you through in your circumstances, that the Lord Jesus is living on high to intercede for you, able to sympathise with you in all your infirmity, you find that that faith that you have becomes even more precious to you, because it not only gets you through but it allows you to be occupied with something greater than all this world has to offer: Christ in glory, and He can fill and satisfy your heart like nothing or no-one else can. This world has nothing comparable to offer to the knowledge of Jesus where He is in glory. The deep, personal knowledge of that Person can fill and satisfy every human heart. Does it satisfy yours? I trust that it does.
“Much more precious than of gold which perishes ... be found to praise and glory and honour in the revelation of Jesus Christ”. Well, this is more than our need being met. This is something returning to God, “praise and glory and honour”, exulting “with joy unspeakable and filled with the glory”. Beloved, are you returning something to God? Are you occupied in His praise? Our sister, when she was able, loved to be at the meeting, where God is praised. Is that your desire, is that my desire? Not only to see what blessings we have received from God, but what we can return to Him, in some way, of praise and glory.
Then I just read over the page, because there is not only what is valuable in our sight, that precious blood, and that faith, but then there is what is precious in God’s sight. I was thinking of that psalm, “Precious in the sight of Jehovah is the death of his saints” (Ps 116: 15), but too, this “incorruptible ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” is precious in the sight of God. The Lord Jesus Himself says, “I am meek and lowly”, Matt 11: 29. That, therefore, must be precious to God. Our sister demonstrated a meek and quiet spirit, I believe, and that is of great price in the eyes of God. Do not be concerned with what is of great price in man’s eyes. Be concerned with what is of great price in God’s eyes. He sees what you have, He sees what you value and He sees what I value, He sees if I value the blood of Christ, and that would give Him delight and pleasure, to see someone who has recognised and appreciated His well beloved Son, and He recognises if we show in some measure the features of that One, this “meek and quiet spirit”.
The work in our sister’s soul is now complete. God began that work in our sister which He has completed, and it is going to be for Christ’s glory and for God’s pleasure eternally; it has been secured. Beloved, let us value the things that God offers and have this quiet contentment that our sister proved. May the Lord bless the word.
Grangemouth
12th February 2018
(At the meeting for the burial of Miss L Ashton)