Rarer than rare, are you, my Love; From heaven you came, my Dove. Your heart had eyes, others could not see;Your arms were like wings, reaching for me.

The pursuit to contentment is a task everyone must undertake on his or her own. We like to read, “And my God will satisfy all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus”(Phil. 4:19). Paul could say it, but could Paul give it? A few lines before, he wrote, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances” (Phil. 4:11). Just how rich was Jesus, the Christ? His answer was, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Mt. 8:20). Yet, it was Jesus who told his disciples, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”(Mt. 5:6). What the Lord is saying, to me to be satisfied, I must hunger and thirst to do what is right, and in so doing what pleases the Lord, I will be blessed.

Jesus asked this question, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth"(Lk. 18:8)? John the Baptist predicted, “He must grow and I must decline”(Jn. 3:30). We live in the highest technological age and even in the midst of an economic downturn, we still belong to those that are materially well. However, regarding the increase of faith in Jesus, we are in the midst of a rapid decline. These words of Jesus could have been written today, ”Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”(Mt. 24:9-14).

Man starts out on his life journey on a single road. When he reaches accountability, he will come to a fork in the road; then he has to decide on which one he wants to finish his journey. Jesus, the Christ, has provided a hint where each of the roads may lead. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads toward destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Mt. 7:13-14; Lk. 13:24). Jesus had in mind seeking the kingdom of God (Mt. 6:33) and doing the will of God (Mt. 7:21).

I was fourteen when the Germans sent me to an army camp to be trained as a youth leader. At that time, I was leading two troops of boys ages ten to fourteen. The first thing I had to learn was that my orders and requests had to be direct. I was not allowed to enhance my request or sweet-talk the commander. My experience reminds me of our Lord’s instruction regarding prayer. “But when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray… to be seen by men. I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then you’re Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on bubbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt. 6:5-8).

I have asked myself many times, “Lord, what is wrong with me? Why do I have to live with a thorn in my flesh? Why did you not free me of my handicap when I began to serve you, Lord?” The Apostle Paul faced a similar problem and came to this conclusion. “To keep me from becoming too proud of having received many great revelations, the Lord allowed Satan to put a thorn in my flesh to torment me. I pleaded with the Lord three times to free me from my infirmity. The Lord replied, ‘Be satisfied with my grace; for it makes you depend on me for strength’” (II Cor. 12:7-9).

I wake up with good intentions, only by noon, I have yet to ask some one to help me with my problem. The day goes by and I am still where I was the night before because I did not follow through with my good intentions. I prayed, but that was all I did. I started the day with a lack of faith, in myself, and in those that could help me. I was afraid of being turned down. It is a sick feeling when I presume to fail before I do. What would Jesus recommend for my cure?

Jesus’ statement, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost,” is music to lost sinners. I have read this many times but suddenly, this morning, I was plagued with the question, “Did I want to be found?” I knew at the age of twelve that Jesus had to find me, but I did not go looking. I even was resentful when someone tried to find me. I was angry when my mother invited the preacher into our home. I was not ready to join his found sheep that were still straying more than I was. Prayer has helped me find myself.

We live in a sad world. It becomes even sadder when we lose a loved one or meet with some disappointments, even devastation. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Outside I laugh; inside I never laugh; the world is too sad" (Wa.186). In the early Church, sadness was the eight cardinal sin. The wise man held, "Even in laughter the heart is sad, and joy may end in grief" (Pr.14: 13). Modern man is being taught that he has the right to be in pursuit of happiness. If he plays his hand right, joy will come to him. Unfortunately, there are just too many of us running after the same things that supposedly could make us happy. What really can make us happy or what can cheer us?

The Book of Revelation 21:5 states, “Behold I make all things new!” Christians enter this new world here on earth. It is when we become “a new creation in Christ” (II Cor. 5:17). Prayer keeps the door open to that new kingdom Jesus brought to earth (Mk. 1:15). It is a kingdom that is not of this world (Jn. 18:36) and prayer helps me to be am ambassador of the world (II Cor. 5:18).