February 21, 2012 … God Owns It All

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Leviticus, Chapters 24-25 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

Leviticus 25: 23-24 : … [Stewardship] … 23 “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is Mine and you reside in My land as foreigners and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.

My Journal for Today: In my reading/study of Leviticus, Chapters 24-25 this morning - about God’s instructions concerning stewardship and prudent management of God’s providence, verse 23 of Chapter 25 jumped out at me as a good highlight point for my meditation, … certainly speaking to my heart – with conviction - about stewardship.

STEWARDSHIP is a concept, which, from God’s instructions to His people in Leviticus, was obviously very important; but I’m afraid it’s a biblical idea which has very impotent application in our world today. Oh, I’m sure, if I were to ask the average Christian, “Do you believe God is in control and owns everything?” Most, if not a strong majority, would say, “Absolutely!” So, f I asked you, “What would you say?”

Is God the owner and in control of ALL THINGS in your life? And if we answered “YES” to that question, what is the evidence of our being effective stewards of God’s providence? And to that question, I would have to say that many of us would find it hard to come up with evidence of application in our lives.

We have a two year-old grandson right now; and when he’s playing with a toy, if you take it away from him, he will scream, … LOUDLY … ”MINE!!,” demanding that we give it back to him. It’s just in his nature that anything given to him is HIS and no one else’s. And that’s in our spiritual DNA as well, isn’t it?

If someone were to steal something from me, I would likely FEEL bad, …feeling that I LOST what was MINE. And I would FEEL that way because I FELT that I was the owner of that thing – whatever it was. I would not be FEELING badly because that thing, which was lost to me, was God’s and it had been misappropriated from my Lord. No, I would FEEL bad because I would likely FEEL that the thing which was stolen was MINE. So, at age 60+, my FEELINGS are really not that much different from our 2 year old grandson, are they? And I’m afraid that’s the situation with most Christians these days.

Stewardship – i.e., KNOWING that God owns it all and we are HIS managers – is not a concept that is in broad application in our world these days by Christians. In real life, we FEEL that we’re the owners of that house which has MY name on the deed, … not God’s. If someone steals something from me, I FEEL that the thief has stolen from ME, … not God. I don’t manage the resources which come into my life like they’re God’s. No, I FEEL the stuff in my life is MINE!

It is said that we could do a stewardship analysis in anyone’s life by taking a look at one’s calendar and their check-book records or online banking statement. If I were to audit your calendar, how much time would I find allotted to God’s priorities? If that audit included a look at your spending practices, how much would I find set aside to carry out God’s work or purposes and how much of your expenditures would I find for your own selfish desires? Am I meddling here?

So, as you read through Chapters 24-25 of Leviticus along with me today, are you doing a self-inventory of your stewardship of God’s providence? If you are, how’re you doing?

My Prayer Today: … Lord, I do so want to be a good steward of Your providence. Help me to let all that is MINE … be YOURS. Amen