Its been only a few weeks into 2013, and I can say its turning out to be one of the rougher starts to a new year for me. It was as if once it turned 2013, everything began to fall apart...car troubles (I seriously better be compensated for the damage), sudden changes in plans, inevitable events, unpleasant surprises...A lot of these things have taken away my peace, contentment and joy. I recently reread my post about joy and tried to navigate my way back.
The topic of contentment is interesting. I went to Central Peninsula Church in Foster City a few weeks ago and Pastor Mark Mitchell, talked about "Hope for the New Year". His message was on Psalms 84 where the Psalmist's Psalm described three different types of journeys. I wont steal Mark Mitchell's thunder...but one of the journeys is "Journey of Contentment".
"Better is one day in your courts
than
a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked."
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked."
~Psalms 84:10
I love the image that is painted by this verse. Its better to be in God's courts for one day...JUST ONE...than thousands of the best days on this Earth! I would love to be that content...Just knowing that I am in God's presence is enough to make everything else seem insignificant. The other cool thing is one can also be content and happy with being a doorkeeper (NOTE: doorkeepers are outside, dangers of guarding doors) of God's house than be inside the tent (NOTE: inside, shelter, security) of the wicked. That is some contentment!
To go further on the topic of contentment, I recently have a new favorite song...Thousand Foot Krutch - So Far Gone.
Yeah, Yeah...I have said that I dont usually listen to TFK because their music is too hard ...But this is one of their mellow songs. I really like this song because I do want to be "so far gone in You". And no...its not talking about a significant other...but rather the God that created everything, who still loves and cares about us even though we are screw ups. He still feels for us when we struggle in life. Even though I am going through a small rough patch right now, I constantly want to run towards Christ and be in His arms and protection. "I wanna be so far gone in You...So far that nothing else will do!" I want to be back in that place...where it feels like nothing else will do...where my peace, contentment and joy is based off of the excitement of knowing Christ. I want to be So Far Gone in You...even if I can only be a Doorkeeper.
Lyrics after the break...
