THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE AT REST (2)

You may remember last week that we reflected on the famous opening quote of Augustine’s timeless classic, Confessions. In Book I, chapter 1, paragraph 1 there is the following famous insight about human beings:“The thought of You (O God) stirs man so deeply that he cannot be content unless he praises you, because you made us for yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you” (Saint Augustine’s Confessions, translated by R.S. Pine-Coffin. 1961; 1983 reprint; New York, NY: Penguin Book Classics; page 21).



In addition to the thought of God stirring us deeply, the second thing that Augustine raises in this insight about human beings is what makes us content. What does it mean to be “content,” and how does this idea fit into the Christian life? “Content” means a deep, inner feeling of satisfaction. It carries the idea of one’s being free from turmoil, anxiety and angst because of fulfillment.


Augustine hits the nail on the head when he maintains that contentment is based on and expressed by human beings praising God. This is because the words we use to praise God have a two-fold effect: honoring God and shaping the one who utters those words of praise. In short, words of praise shape a contented heart!


We cannot be content unless we praise God. The implications of this reality are enormous. Perhaps this is why we find so many people today discontented: praise is not a part of their life, either personally or communally. This praise can take the form of hymns/songs, prayers, doxology, and quiet contemplation in the presence of God. Do we intentionally make praise a part of life, and are we thereby contented people?

Also, contentment has a very practical application in day to day living. When John the Baptist began his preaching in the wilderness, some soldiers wanted to know how John's message could be lived out in their circumstances. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” (Luke 3:14) This response by John is as un-American as it gets! Who in their right mind is going to be content with their pay?!

Could it be that John is offering a way of life, lived from the inside out, that escapes most of us? If we are constantly discontented with everything, one wonders how praise could ever come forth from such a heart! This challenges me to go forward with vigor and vitality in my Christian life, with its laudable goals, but at the same time do so from a contented heart that daily expresses itself in praise!



In Christian love, Curtis