BE SATISFIED

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17

The last of the Ten Commandments handed down to Israel from God via Moses had to do with the matter of coveting. Webster’s dictionary defines the verb "covet" with the following meaning:

1. to wish for earnestly. 2. to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably. 3. to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another.

In the case of Israel, they weren’t to covet (or desire) "anything that belongs to (a) neighbor." This included their home, wife, servants, or livestock. It’s interesting to note that this final commandment of the set actually serves as a reinforcement to a few others already mentioned. For coveting what another has can lead to adultery, stealing and even murder. Using the political example from yesterday, a candidate that is behind in the race could covet the position of the leader so much that they would be willing to bear false witness against the leader. Mud slinging and smear tactics seem to be normal operating procedure in most campaigns. Anything to get ahead, even if you have to sin in the process. All because you covet what another person has in their favor.

Question: Do you covet or have you ever coveted? Have you ever envied another because they seemed to "have more" than you? Have you ever found yourself wishing you could be another person just to have what they have…whether that be fame, good looks, success, wealth, or love? I think if we’re all honest, we will all say there has been a time when we have coveted and thus violated yet another of God’s commandments. So why do we covet despite the Lord telling us not to?

I think the simple answer is that we are in the world, even if we are not of it. And this world we live in is a "me and I" society. People typically only care about themselves and this leads to a selfish heart…a selfish heart that wants it all, even if it has to be at the expense of someone else. Indeed, we are a people who simply can’t be satisfied with what the Lord has blessed us with. Instead, we are constantly wanting more and more, whether we can afford it or not. This is why personal indebtedness is a national epidemic these days. People have to have things even if they can’t afford them. No cash…no problem. That’s why they made credit cards. So we go for the gusto because creditors are willing to "spot us" the money in advance so we can have what we want right now. We get that purchase high and can’t seem to get enough of it. And then the credit card bill arrives and brings its "sticker shock" with it. If shopping on credit is a high then the ensuing bill is the hangover that follows.

So how do we deal with this problem of being covetous? Here are two tips:

1. Appreciate the blessings the Lord brings to you and be satisfied. When we seriously step back and take account of our lives and the lives of our families, we can either yearn for more than what we have or count all the many blessings God has given us. He would expect us to do the latter and if we do so, we will find ourselves content and thankful rather than dissatisfied and complaining.

2. Simplify your life. We get so caught up in materialism that we forget our spiritualism. Possessions or the quest for them take us over and begin to possess us. And that materialistic possession too turns into an obsession and we are led to the most negative consequences of coveting. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) If your heart is on materialism, then you’ll be on a perpetual treasure hunt for more and more "treasure". If your heart is truly on Jesus, then He will be your treasure and you will seek to be like Him. One thing is certain, Jesus didn’t get caught up in materialism. Why? Because he was so busy saving souls to settle down and get caught up in possessions. His magnificent obsession was to obediently carry out the Will of His Father…a Will that would have Him suffer and die just so we might be saved. To simplify our lives, we need to realize and confess that having Jesus as our treasure is all we really need. And He’ll give us just what we need to carry out His will as stated in the Great Commission...nothing more, nothing less. Keep life simple…keep your life immersed in Jesus and make Him your One and only desire.

When it comes down to it, the gift of the Lord’s mercy and grace we receive daily…the mercy and grace that never fail and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)…is all that we need. We should rejoice and be glad in every day that the Lord makes and give thanks for all the things He has done for us through His goodness and love. For a spirit of thanksgiving in and through the Lord will trump the spirit of Satan’s coveting every single time. Remember the words of David…"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want." (23rd Psalm) Why don’t we find our selves wanting and coveting? Because in the Lord we have everything we need. Believe this and be satisfied.

In Christ,

Mark

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