Satisfaction and Grace

Jim:

I noticed the theme of human satisfaction versus God’s goodness and mercy running through a few of the readings today.

Psalm 65
I was struck by the words of verse 4 this morning: “Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.” The Psalmist obviously had more optimism than the Rolling Stones who are famous for their song, “Satisfaction”: “I can’t get no satisfaction…though I try, and I try, and I try, and I try, I can’t get no satisfaction.” Our society teaches us not to be satisfied. It encourages us to want more and more, to strive for bigger cars and houses, for whiter teeth and clearer skin, for more money and more exciting friends. But in the house of the Lord, the people of God find happiness and satisfaction. What God offers is a relationship that fills us with joy and contentment if we will but allow it.

Acts 16:16-24
A slave girl, possessed by a spirit of divination, had been following Paul and Silas for several days, proclaiming in a loud voice that they were themselves “slaves of the Most High God.” This annoyed Paul so much that he ordered the spirit to leave her. Then comes verse 19: “But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.” Obviously the owners of the girl were not concerned with her well-being, but only with what profit it could generate for them. So instead of finding joy (or satisfaction) in her healing they became angry. They would rather have benefited from slavery than take joy at another’s liberation.

Mark 6:47-56
Verses 51 and 52 say, “And (the disciples) were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” Because their faith was lacking the disciples were not able to understand all that Jesus was doing (like feeding 5,000 people or walking on water) or how important it was. I don’t think it’s too big a stretch to say that had they looked for fulfillment from Jesus, satisfaction or a sort, they would have recognized him for who he really was. But they were not at that point yet where they could believe in or trust Jesus fully. So they had not recognized spiritual satisfaction, though, like the house of God in Psalm 65, Jesus offered them joy and contentment. We, too, have the chance to embrace joy and contentment in Jesus. There will still be times when God startles us with things we don’t fully understand, and there will be headwinds that make rowing our boat more difficult. There will be times when we are astounded by what God is doing. But the opportunity to be filled by grace is there.