MORNING MEDITATION

“Be Contented With The Sufficiency Of God’s Daily Grace!”

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“Be Contented With The Sufficiency Of God’s Daily Grace!”(I Tim.6:6-12).
Ni Nyongbela – Ni Nyong for short – is of blessed memory. May his soul rest in peace. As teenagers we often met at Njenka Hausa market where he fetched and sold firewood while I sold sugarcane. Even though he went to primary school, he suffered mental retardation.
He was very happy if you bought his firewood for say 100frs and gave him the money in 10franc or 5franc coins, but he will refuse to sell if you bought for say, 300 frs and prefered to pay with three 100 franc coins. I recall one 11th February Day celebration he told us how he had spent a lot of money. When we asked to know how much, he told us that out of the 100 frs that he had, only 70frs was left.
Our friend Bila – Popipong – is also mentally retarded. Some women hire him for daily pay and pay him 500frs instead of 2500frs daily pay rate; even when they acknowledge that he is very hardworking and works more hours than the regular three hours of daily pay. As it has been said, “The big fish swallow the small ones” and that “Fools are food for the wise!”
What is unique to late Ni Nyong and Bila is their carefree outlook on life and lack of interest in money. But they have a sense of happiness and satisfaction – contentment – in life that the average person lacks.
I recall that last year when Bila was to be received as a CMF member in PC Ntaiton, I told him I will buy his uniform, but I was told that his uniform had already been bought from USA. Bila told me that he would expect me to drive him alone from church to their compound. On that day I did just that. He occupied the master’s seat in my jeep and I drove him to their compound. There was a group leading us with bouquets of flowers that had been given him in church.
We are not going to be like them, but the likes of them in their naivity, ignorance and simplicity teach us a great lesson on contentment.
Contentment does not lead to stagnation as some people contend. Contentment is not an enemy of progress. Rather contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction!
Those whose ambition is to have what they do not have, cannot find happiness and satisfaction with what they have.
Contemtment is when we find joy in what God has given us. Lack of contentment is greed which destroys the capacity to enjoy what the LORD has given us.
One day at a time is to appreciate that God’s grace is sufficient everyday on each new day. And that is contentment.
Paul’s charge to young Timothy comes to all of us, but especially to the ministers of the gospel: “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it… People who want to get rich fall into temptation and trap and into many harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of money…”
Paul’s charge to young Timothy comes to all of us christians, but particularly to ministers of the gospel: “But you man of God, flee from this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Let us learn to curb our greeds and find contentment by enjoying God’s grace which comes to us new everyday.
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit help me to find happiness and satisfaction with the sufficiency of God’s daily grace. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.

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