Covetousness versus Contentment

UV 1495/10,000 Covetousness versus Contentment

O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
Jeremiah 51 v 13

If we dwell by the river of God, if we are planted on its banks, we will be like a tree that is eternal or everlasting. Our leaves will never wither or fall. We will bear fruit –internal and external, throughout our lives and in every season of our lives. Our greatest treasure is the joy of salvation and we do not value anything including all the wealth or the pleasure of this world more than that. Our thoughts are constantly fed with the Word as river water seeps in through the soil pores to reach the roots of plants and then rises up their shoots to water every branch and leaf or every part of our lives. The hope of Donald Trumps of this world will one day be cut off along with his breath but the hope of Billy Grahams will never be cut off. The latter have eternal hope and eternal life after the future. Covetousness has no limits while contentment sets limits to what we desire. The covetous are never satisfied. The Word compares the covetous to a whore who sits on many waters and states that in one hour great riches will come to naught. The covetous are also compared to clouds without water carried about by the winds of their desires, raging waves of the sea, fruitless trees that are plucked out by their roots and wandering or falling stars. The sin of covetousness is compared with the error of Balaam and that of Cain.

But if we dwell by many rivers, if we consider wealth or pleasure or fame, power or position more valuable than our knowledge of the Lord, then He will give us over to our covetousness. Our end will come when all of it will be in vain, our lives would be empty or futile. We will be like the foolish man who built his house upon shifting sands and not on the rock of faith and obedience. We will be like the rich man who gloats on all his storehouses, bank balance and treasures but whose life is taken away suddenly and he loses all of it. Secure “livers” and leaders are not covetous but secure in the knowledge of God and the hope that it engenders.

Covetousness is bred by insecurity and distrust. It gives rise to a false sense of security, a kind of complacency that will be a downward slide. The greater our faith in the Lord, the greater our contentment. Contentment is bred by trust and faith in God as provider and “purposer”. He provides meaning, purpose and power to my life. He will never desert me. He will not give up on me. He will not let me down. He will uphold me. He will enable me. He will not break His promises to me. Faith is planting oneself firmly on the bank of the river of God and drinking daily, continually and often from His promises. He declares Himself to be the “portion of Jacob” or what every believer needs and drinks. God and faith in Him is not a luxury but a necessity like water. Faith is not being tossed around like a wave in the sea. It is being anchored in Him. Faith is positive believing and positive living- looking for a glimmer of hope through dark clouds, a silver lining and not a pot of gold below the rainbow. It is not advancing by giant leaps but little by little towards a distant goal.

Prateep V Philip