Are you Content in Christ?
It’s 90 degrees outside with high humidity. I’m sweating my butt off. Bending over, lifting the metal window shutters, placing them on the window, then screwing them in place securely with a wing nut. Several times those shutters cut my hand as I lifted them in place over the windows. The second time I let a curse word slip from my lips that I regretted. Every year I seem to go through this. It’s hurricane season in Florida. We’ve been watching this storm since it formed off the western coast of Africa. We looked at the projections on the National Hurricane Center web site. We knew it was going to be at least a couple of weeks before it could possibly affect us here in Melbourne. But in our minds, the stress has begun.
About a week later that storm was approaching the Bahamas and the forecast cone had our county right in the cross hairs as a likely landing spot for the storm. Oh no! Do we stay or drive to higher ground inland. What’s my family doing? Can my house really withstand a category 4 hurricane? It’s about this time that Costco, Home Depot and Publix become very crowded as people prepare. (And most of those crowds are pretty grumpy), The stress levels definitely rose several notches at home and in the community. We fill up our bathtubs with water, get out the flashlights, batteries and candles, and tie down the patio furniture. We decided we are going to stay put and it’s time for me to get the metal hurricane shutters from my garage. Problem is, I have a mountain of stuff piled up in the way where the shutters are secured to my garage wall. I take a deep breath spend an hour moving things around so I can get to them. (Man, I wish I had organized my garage like I'd planned).
Then, after two hours of placing shutters, lifting and twisting my back, cutting my hands cursing a little more and becoming very frustrated, I’m almost finished. That's when I hear a cackling noise to my right. I look over and there they are. The two sandhill cranes that roam my neighborhood. Male and female. Mates for life. They are strutting slowly past me and stare at me through their pre-historic looking eyes. No hurry, no worry, no stress . . . just walking ever so slowly. I get a little frustrated and yell out, “What the heck are you looking at? Don’t you know a storm’s coming and the Etheridge Family world could end if something happens to our house?” They really don’t’ seem to care at all.
Fast forward 36 hours. The 100 mph plus winds have passed by after rattling our house all night long. We didn’t sleep at all. I heard thuds on our roof as debris was tossed about. Our power went out and all the air in the house was getting very stuffy as the sun rose in the morning. I then went outside and was relieved to find there were very little signs of damage. Just a lot of debris scattered all around our neighborhood. Now guess what? . . . Time to take down the shutters. I shudder at the thought. (Kind of like when I have to take down the Christmas decorations, in March after the holidays . . . just kidding). As I’m taking them down, I cut my hand again. (Yeah, I cursed again. Just give me a little grace, huh.) Then, as I’m removing the last shutter in the heat of the day, sweating profusely and noticing my back is beginning to ache, I look to my right and there they are. The same two sandhill cranes. Walking contently through my yard and feasting on the worms that had come to the yard surface due to all the rain. I spoke to them, “Where the heck did you two stay last night in 100mph winds?” Why are you two so damn calm?? Can’t you see how stressful this situation has been for us?”
“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? . . . seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6
These words of Jesus on the Mount of the Beatitudes came to mind when I noticed my feathered friends and their contentment. Jesus even talks about them in the above verses. These two guys hunkered down under some tree and sat there in extreme winds howling and only God knows what was flying by. When the storm passed God had prepared a buffet of food in our neighborhood yards. They were fine and had all they needed.
Then I thought about Paul’s words to the Philippians in chapter 4:
. . . Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Most Christians always highlight that last verse and trumpet it as inspiration that we can do anything we want in Christ. I’ve quoted that verse so many times as I’m trying to accomplish things in my life. I finally realized I’ve taken that verse completely out of context for years and years. Looking closely at that entire chapter and particularly at the words leading up to that famously quoted verse tells us a different story. Paul is talking about being content in Christ, no matter what we are experiencing in life. Good, bad, pain, joy, suffering and celebration. We can do all things through Christ. He’s right there with us.
So, brothers and sisters. The question for us to ponder. How content are we in Christ in our everyday lives? Were the blood of Christ and His resurrection sufficient for us? (See 2nd Corinthians 12). Think about it. If we truly believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, then why aren’t we content in His security when we are in the trials of life, filled with stress and anxiety? If we truly believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, can’t God get us through this stormy season? If we truly believe that His blood shed, one time for all time, forgave all our sins, past, present and future, then why do we hold onto guilt and shame and why can’t we forgive others who have wronged us? If we truly believe we were crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, how can we not be content that we get walk in the power and boldness of His Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives? THE MOST POWERFUL BEING IN THE WORLD. The Gospel gives us rest in these situations. We are one with God, just as He promised we would be in Genesis 3, because of Jesus and our belief in what happened 2000 years ago. We can be CONTENT in the sufficiency of Jesus.
So, imagine being content in this new year. In Christ. Knowing this, I’ll never look at my neighborhood sandhill cranes the same again.
May your 2026 be filled with REVELATION, love, peace and contentment in Christ Jesus.
