Content, or Not Content?
As I sit at my desk looking out my office window watching some yellowish colored leaves fall from the tree to the ground, I realize something: fall is finally here! My first Michigan summer was awesome. Everyone kept telling me last winter and spring were unusual and just wait for summer. It finally arrived and I was delighted to welcome it. I must admit now, however, I’m looking forward to fall, some colder weather, and even some snow. Ouch! The past few weeks I have found myself getting ready for a season change and excited for it. I got everything up off the ground in my garage so the snow can melt from the undercarriage of my cars and fall to the garage floor. I was given a new snow thrower and I’ve been plotting my route from the garage, down the driveway, and to the street and back again. I’ve even planned for my patio furniture and getting it put away for the winter while cutting back some plants. I’m ready for a change…but I know as soon as it comes I’ll be ready for that to change as well.
With all this recent activity, I have come to realize something after digging into Romans 7:7-25 in preparation for preaching this Sunday. I’m never content. When it is hot, I’m ready for cold. When it is cold, I’m ready for hot. When it rains, I’m ready for sun. There are times when it’s sunny and I am even ready for cloudy days. It seems whatever place I am in currently, I am ready to move out of it and into another one. Does this mean we should always to be ‘content’ and never be ‘not content?’ Me genoito – no, no, 1000 times no. We are going to look at Romans 7:7-25 this Lord’s Day and I would like to ask you to keep this in mind as we do because, perhaps like many of you, here is where I am completely content. I am content in continuing to live in my sin instead of letting God’s law reveal it for the purpose of lavishing me with more of His wonderful grace. I am content in not using God’s law to shine light into the pollution of my heart in order to run to my Savior who constantly gives more and more mercy. I am content just to keep on going the way I am going and doing the same ole things I’ve been doing. All the while, of course, while complaining about how ready I am for a change in something else! So, content, or not content? The answer is yes, and I pray our time in Romans 7 this Sunday will only seal that to our hearts as we open our ears and eyes. I pray we would never be content to remain in our sin, and we would always be content, even take great delight in, God’s holy, righteous, and good law, for there He seals to us we have been delivered from death and into His marvelous light and life.