It's All His

"The earth is the LORD's,

and everything in it,

the world,

and all who live in it. . ."
Psalm 24:1

My dog thinks everything is his.  At least that's the impression I get when I walk him each morning along our familiar route.  If he had his way, he'd mark each signpost, light pole and clump of grass.  Each time he lifts his leg, I imagine him saying, "Mine.  This is mine, too.  I claim this!"  

As ridiculous as it seems for a dog to think he owns anything, I actually do the same thing.  I look at belongings, family, job, time, and call it, "Mine."   In reality, it's all God's!  How can I claim something He created and gave to me?  Realizing everything belongs to God can give me a different outlook.

Property.  I never thought I was very materialistic, until God began to challenge me in the area of possessions.  Like most people, my family and I had a house full of stuff.  There was furniture that had weathered many family gatherings, pieces that reminded me of the days when our daughters were younger, and things that were given as gifts.  Then came the day when I heard God's calling to a distant land, a place across the country where my dad needed us. 

As I researched moving options, my husband and I soon realized it wasn't cost effective to move all our belongings over 2,000 miles away.  So, we decided obedience was more valuable than the stuff filling our home and we put it all up for sale, only keeping that which was necessary and a few sentimental items.  It wasn't until I thought about our dining room table where many family meals had been shared that I realized the hold these material items had on my heart.  Still, I let it all go and learned that the memories are still there despite the absence of the furniture.  And, we have had the privilege of watching God at work as he fills our new dwelling place with furnishings.

Acknowledging that all my property really belongs to God wards off possessiveness and stinginess.  For instance, if I'd held my furniture in higher regard than my dad's welfare, we would never have had the honor of spending precious time with the man God placed in my life as my father.  Also, the young woman just starting out, or the grandfather who was looking for a table big enough to accommodate his grandchildren, would not have had the blessing of acquiring what they needed.  God had something better in mind for what I had considered to be my furniture, but was really His all along.

Realizing all my property really belongs to God nurtures a more generous, selfless spirit.

People.  When I was around ten, my parents were going through a painful divorce.  As the middle child, I was effected deeply and began to fear losing my mother.  Every time she left the house to go to a meeting or to run errands, I would become anxious, thinking about all that could happen to her.  As I grew up and had a family of my own, I experienced similar feelings when my soldier-husband was gone long hours jumping out of airplanes or serving in war zones.  I learned that God loves my loved ones even more than I do and that they are under His domain.

Knowing that those I love really belong to God, not to me, I can rest easy no matter where they go or what they do.  I can choose to believe that it is His area of responsibility to watch out for them, to direct their lives, and to grow their faith.  Consequently, I need not worry when my loved one strays away, or is out of my influence, or is in harm's way.  God's got them in the palm of His capable hands!

Realizing all those I love really belong to God nurtures a more peaceful, patient spirit.

Perspective.  I think it was my hard work, my wise decisions, my thrifty practices that have positioned me where I now find myself.  I give myself credit for acquiring what I own, for thinking ahead and anticipating my current needs, for sacrificing hours of toil in order to prepare for the future.  In reality, without God, none of what I have would even exist, let along be in my possession.  Without God, I could not even take my next breath, let alone invest for the future.

God founded this earth and established it according to His purposes.  He made it all for Himself but chose to entrust it into the care of mankind (Genesis 1:26-30).  Knowing I am in God's creation instead of thinking He is a part of mine, changes the way I see the world around me.

My future, instead of being in my hands to direct as I see fit, is a well-thought-out blueprint just waiting to be revealed by a God who loves me and has my best interest at heart (Jeremiah 29:11).  Interruptions to my daily schedule, instead of being an aggravation that stops me from being productive, is an appointment set by a God who has a kingdom mission for me to accomplish in place of the puny plans I had for my time (Ephesians 2:10) .  The crisis of life-threatening illness, instead of my greatest fear coming to fruition, is a beautiful time of faith-building when I have the privilege of being comforted by the One who knows how to perfectly carry my burdens (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 1 Peter 5:7).

Realizing I am here for God, not the other way around, nurtures a more faithful, trusting spirit.

While my dog may thinking everything he sees is part of his domain, I am learning better.  All the property in my possession is really God's, the people I love are ultimately in God's hands, and it all is under His sovereign rule as part of His creation.  As such, I am discovering the pressure is off me to preserve my stuff, protect my loved ones, or order my own footsteps.  Instead, I can say, "It's all His!"

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let Him rule my life.

When do I hang onto the stuff in my life as if that's what is truly valuable?

How am I fooling myself into thinking it's my job to protect those I love?