Contentment and Thankfulness

We are super overdue to update our blog, so I thought I would share some thoughts from this morning's Bible devotion which help to give perspective on our lives here in the desert. So here goes.

" 'Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request." (1 Chronicles 4:10)

In recent times this Scripture has been used by the health and wealthers a lot, or to market ballpens and coffee cups. Notwithstanding, it is a great comfort and truth to know that God hears us and grants answers to our petitions. Did not our Lord Jesus urge us to ask and seek and knock with the promise and expectation of good gifts that the Father desires to give to His children. The Lord knows what is best for each of us and He faithfully places into our lives those good gifts.

Also, from 1 Chronicles 4:40 comes this: "They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet." I couple that meditation with the beauty of Mary sitting at Jesus' feet. Martha was worried and upset about many things, but Mary had chosen what was better and it would not be taken from her. (Luke 10:41-42)

As Janet and I have had seven quiet months in the Laughlin desert, it is only now that I am coming to true rest in my spirit. While it is noble to seek God for open doors, it is also essential to learn to rest. He is the husband and the initiator and He is well able to signal His sheep when He has something for them to do. Even when God is granting us rest there is a tendency to clamor for activity or mourn and bewail the fact that He is not "speaking" direction into our lives. Like Martha we are worried and distracted when we simply should be resting and trusting.

The Lord has provided very well for Janet and I through some rental income. We are like the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 17, sitting by the Kerith Ravine being fed by the ravens. Will there yet be a Mt. Carmel experience ahead as in 1Kings 18? I don't know, but I do know that God calls us to drink from the brook and feed on His faithfulness in this time of waiting. (Psalm 37:3)

This morning as I sat before the Lord thinking of Jabez, spacious pastures, and of Mary at Jesus' feet, I realized in a deeper way what a blessed season this is in our lives. Instead of clamoring for the next thing, I would do well to just rest contentedly and gratefully before the Lord. I reflected this morning on all my blessings, both ethereal and temporal. God has given me the best wife in the world these 36 plus years, four wonderful children, and soon to be eight grandchildren, Lord willing. He has given us a fine home, daily bread, and the beauty of the desert, which I actually love. So this day my heart is flooded with contentment, gratefulness and the peace that passes understanding, through His Holy Spirit. The Bible declares in Proverbs, "A heart at peace gives rest to the body but envy rots the bones." (Proverbs 14:30) With fresh zeal, I join the psalmist in declaring, "Praise, the Lord, oh my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name. Praise the Lord, oh my soul, forget not all His benefits." (Psalm 103:1-2)

Thus, I have decided to embrace the quiet rest of being a semi-retired missionary until given marching orders from my commander-in-chief. My desire is to seek Him, but to also shun the tendency to force things in order to live up to the expectations of men. We are not yet sure about our travel to the Philippines this summer. It is essential that we find a house-sitter if we are to go. We are knocking on a few other doors, but for now we are in quiet contentment and thankfulness. We pray daily for friends, family, and churches and church leaders.

Our children are doing well. Joseph and his tribe are planning to return to the Philippines later this year after he completes his orals for his PhD. Rachel and her husband are adding two children to their family this year. Rachel is pregnant with a baby boy and they are completing an adoption of an Ethiopian baby girl named Eden Meskerem. Wow! Our family is multinational: American, Filipino, Pakistani, and Ethiopian. Abraham was the father of many nations and I like to joke that because we are a family that adopts, I am too. :-) Matt and Rebekah live in Chico and are thriving with rice farming and a printing business. Finally, Jason has lived with us for a while and will soon be returning to California to further his education.

Does anyone who is a believer in Christ really doubt that these are the last days? The signs are absolutely everywhere. Maranatha, Lord Jesus!

There you have it. What with facebook, e-mail, and the like, I am not sure how important keeping this blog is, or for that matter who might chance to read it. Whoever you are, we love you. Thanks for caring.

To God be the glory,
Roger and Janet