April 3, 2019
One of the earliest words learned by children is “mine.” If they do not know the word, they will make the point by their actions. Even very young children know how to take a toy away from another child. The problem started in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve decided certain decisions were theirs – not Creator God’s – to make.
I have pondered the question of whether anything belongs to me. Do I have the right to call anything “mine”? At first, it seems ridiculous to ask that question, for certainly many things appear to belong to me – my body, mind, possessions and time. But are these really mine?
I can spiritualize the answer and decide that as a child of God who has received redemption from sin and a secure position in heaven, I have no rights or ownership. I believe this is true. But what about someone who ignores God and wants no part in His family? Does anything belong to them?
When we are honest enough to admit that ultimately we have no control over anything that we think we own, we should be able to conclude that nothing is actually ours. We need air to breathe, but we do not own it. We have a body that functions amazingly, but we cannot make our heart or brain function if it decides to stop. We enjoy a variety of foods, activities and opportunities, but they are all temporary. No one can genuinely claim to own anything permanently.
It is humbling to admit that nothing is mine. But it also brings freedom. The majority of our day is given to collecting, saving and managing stuff that we call ours. It can become a wearisome task if our focus is all about preserving what is ours. However, when we admit that it does not belong to us, we can take on the attitude of a manager who takes the best care possible of someone else’s stuff. At the end of the day, we do not worry whether it will be valuable tomorrow, because it is not ours.
Creator God has given us so much to enjoy – and to manage for Him. But it is not ours – it all belongs to Him. I am glad for the reminder that this is so.
Pastor Bill Ehmann