04/17/2020
What do we own? What do we count as ours as we make our way through life? It takes us a long time before we finally come to understand the fallacy behind living in a yours and mine world, or involving ourselves in a yours and mine relationship. Life becomes easier once we understand that we are merely light passing through a glass... when we reach the other side the glass remains unchanged, and we have left it behind without a mark. So why do we believe that we own the glass, or in our case, that we own earthly possessions during that brief instant in which we pass through life here?
“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.”
Deuteronomy 10:14 ESV
When small children play together One of their favorite words is “MINE!” Possession is a basic principle of behavior that we grasp before we have even left our mother’s breast. This isn’t just a human trait... even puppies, and the tiniest of birds exhibit it. Possession of something is the foundation of jealousy, and the motivation behind many of our sins. Kings kill to possess land, David killed to possess Bathsheba, we destroy someone to possess another’s affection, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery because of it... the long list of sins tied to the desire to possess, and the accompanying jealousy, is biblical, and is equally as long in our own lives. Is it any wonder that God maintains ownership?
“For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.””
1 Corinthians 10:26 ESV
Ownership breeds jealousy, and jealousy breeds sin, so is it surprising that God is very judicious in what He allows us to claim? He gave Adam dominion over the animals, but He maintained ownership over them. He gave him Eve to Adam as a helpmate, but she remained God’s, and they are always referred to as separate creatures... even from the very beginning when Adam realized that Eve was taken out of him; and he claimed no ownership over her...
“Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.””
Genesis 2:23 ESV
You are probably pondering the question “What has God actually given us then?” Well He has given us the intangibles such as His strength, His love, and His provision, but has He given us physical things as well? One that comes to mind is Jesus being given the disciples. Listen to this portion of His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane...
“While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
John 17:12 ESV
Jesus says this more than once... He says it again to his captors; also in the Garden of Gethsemane...
“Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.””
John 18:8-9 ESV
But as we read this closely we see that Jesus was given their souls In God’s name; so God actually maintained their ownership... a title to them if you will.
Perhaps we can think of other instances where God may have given something to man; a good example would be Canaan, He did give that, but wait... aren’t they still fighting over that particular possession today? Mankind... even when God gives us something we have a real problem with ownership don’t we?
“And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.””
Genesis 17:8 ESV
Now here we are, all these years later, and we still struggle with the notion of possession. Certain of our sins still spring forth from jealousy, and all of this because we think we have ownership, or at least desire it... my spouse, my family, my house, my car, my land, my money, my God... we claim ownership over nearly everything we come in contact with, but none of it is truly ours. We will eventually pass from this place, and just like the light that passes through the glass, all of this will remain behind, and will remain unchanged... still belonging to God.
So what am I saying here, that we don’t matter? No, quite the contrary, we matter more than we can begin to understand. We belong to God, and He loves us so much that He shares everything He has with us... even Himself... He says it over and over again...
“And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
Jeremiah 32:38 ESV
And He also shares His Son, and eternity with us...
““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 ESV
You see, we need to let go of this idea of possession, and depend on God for all of our provision, and every other “thing” in life. We need to quit trying to own the glass we are passing through and realize that Jesus abides in God, and we in Him. If we can come to grips with that, then we will at last understand that we are light, and will be eternally with God... long after we have passed through this thin piece of glass we call life.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””
John 8:12 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your ownership of all things, and for providing us a means of escaping the sins that stem from our jealousy, and desire to possess. Thank you Lord for showing us that this world we are passing through is momentary, and that we have no true ownership in it. All we have in this brief life belongs to you, and is meant to perfect us in our faith as we learn that lesson. Help us Holy Father to yield our claims, and allow you to abide fully in us, and guide us in your ways. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who is God, and who loves us just as you desire us to love you... with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Praised be your name for sending your Son Jesus to Redeem us from sin, and conquer death. Glorious are you whose grace abounds, and who abides in Christ, even as He abides in us. Hear our prayers Father as we call out to you in passionate plea for mercy, and for your hand to be on us always. We call you Father, and long to hear your voice as you call us your children throughout eternity. We worship you Lord, now and forevermore, and we praise you as our God... He who allows us to enter into relationship with you, and to call you ours, just as we are called yours.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1 ESV
Rich Forbes