Daily Strength, Daily Teachings

My dishwashing chore was so very broken up today as I kept having to dry my hands, grab my pencil and jot down a verse from Scripture or line from a hymn. The kitchen sermon' was about 

contentment

Oh, how I need these lessons to become reality! What a slow learner I am and it makes me thankful that God is VERY patient with me! What an amazing relationship the believer has with the God of the universe. He lovingly teaches, rebukes, reminds and leads. There is a lot for me to chew on this morning, much to SWALLOW and digest too! It made me ask the question; "how teachable am I?"

Some very practical points (written in the 19th century) about learning to be content were laid out in the very old devotional book, Daily Strength for Daily Needs. I didn't change the words, but took out the "thee"s, "thou"s and "thyself"s. Though they weren't included, we know that there are Bible verses that we've committed to memory, that go along with each point. 

1. Never allow yourself to complain about ANYTHING, not even the weather.

2. Never picture yourself under any circumstance which you are not IN. ("If only I had...")

3. Never compare your lot with that of anyone else. ("She is just so..." "They have...")

4. Never allow yourself to dwell on the wish that something had been better than it was.

5. Never dwell on tomorrow - it is God's, not yours.

My Sunday School class children and I have recently been looking at verses that remind us to be

thankful

Another quote from the same devotional read, "When thou hast thanked thy God for every blessing sent ~ what time will there remain for murmur or lament?"

Said the robin to the sparrow, "I should really like to know 

why these anxious human beings rush about and worry so";

Said the sparrow to the robin,

"Friend, I think that it must be

that they have no Heavenly Father such as cares for you and me."

"Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11

~written by Paul while in prison

I write every day from a comfortable stool in a warm, dry cabin. 'Lord, please teach me to be more content today that I was yesterday'.