This is a nice scene for contentment. A gentle walk in the park. Beautiful water with contrasting colors. Peaceful, Serenity, Satisfied . These are thoughts that float along with the word CONTENTMENT:
Definition of contentment. Noun-the state of being content; satisfaction; ease of mind.
Definition of content.. Adjective –satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.
As you think of CONTENTMENT what thoughts come to mind ? Mountain streams, Fluffy clouds, Possibly enjoying the pitter patter of rain drops while reading a good book.
In the 1850’s a man is peacefully walking home in Cincinnati, causing no trouble. His mind is blissfully envisioning supper with his family. Suddenly, because of the FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW , he is forcefully grabbed, hands and feet chained dragged into court. He is charged with being a fugitive runaway. The accusers pay the court a small fee. Now a once free man is forced to work on a plantation. His crime. He is Black.
The picture started out calm. The scene abruptly turned harsh and abusive. A family is left behind with no breadwinner. The man taken against his will forced to work as a slave hundreds of miles away from home.
A young girl is tricked and forced to spend years in human sex trafficking. A mother in a foreign country has multiple mouths to feed. The father abandoned them. The only work available to her is either hard labor with meager wages, or the recycling of her body until it no longer pleases men.
This scene is modern day slavery.
As you read these two stories, does contentment fit in? Contentment is seeing the injustice through God’s eyes and taking action.
Definition of righteousness. Noun— arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality <righteous indignation
John 10:10 NIV
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Ps.33 NIV
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love. .
Through out God’s Word, time and time again He states He will not stand for injustice and unrighteousness expressed in any form.
God’s reality reflect His love of righteousness and justice. The two embrace each other. The enemy with lies and crowbar tries to separate and destroy God’s reality.
A creative person, collaborating with the Holy Spirit, recognizes the crowbar trying to destroy.
In the midst of chaos, contentment takes forms of action. contentment comes in walking side by side with the Holy Spirit, loving in the creative form He calls you to love.
Jesus came to live among us. He died for us to make ABUNDANT LIFE available to all of us. When He calls us to help, how will we answer?
Photo Images
http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/utc/
Harriet Beecher Stowe, although already illegally helping runaway slaves still felt pain, anger and a desire to do more. She saw families being torn apart by a corrupt legal system.
When she shared her frustrations and feelings of powerlessness with her family, her sister-in-law Isabella Porter Beecher suggested she do more: “…if I could use a pen as you can, Hatty, I would write something that would make this whole nation feel what an accursed thing slavery is.”http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/utc/
Mrs. Stowe heard a call to write what was on God’s heart. As the words came flowing through her pen, it was not easy, she felt pain but she could NOT Not do it. Contentment came in response to obedience to penning what needed to be said.
Creativity and collaboration with the Holy Spirit to say NO can take many forms. .
Today people hear the cries of women being held as slaves. —Their response is an organization called TRADES OF HOPE. The vision is
I AM A VOICE FOR A WOMAN WITH NO VOICE.
This organization works with individual women of all ages from impoverished countries to cities in the U.S. Drawing these women out of horrendous work and sex trafficking conditions into creative arenas where they become artisans in their own right. Safe places create 0pp0rtuities for women to earn a positive living, become entrepreneurs, and discover who God created them. Doors are opening for them to become – “heroes of their own story” (if you are interested in finding out more about this organization check out: https://twitter.com/TradesHopeSandi )
Past and present cries of pain were heard.
Do you hear the cries of a hungry child on the street in a foreign country? Do you hear the cries of innocent girls being led into the horrid life of sex trafficking? Has God opened your heart to a cry anywhere? Where can the creative gift God has given you be released in sharing His heart to help set that person free, to enjoy God’s abundant life?
It is Worship. It is Contentment. It is Obedience. It is Risky.
In Hebrews 13:5 God makes a promise.
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.
We can encourage each other as Isabella encouraged Harriet to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Lovely photos!
Sent from my iPhone