Several weeks back, we were studying stewardship at church. One Sunday, we were each given a small stack of stick-it notes that had the phrase "property of God" printed on them and we were encouraged to use the notes to mark those items for which we need to loosen our grip and remember that they are not ours in the first place. I have been thinking about my list for the last many days and I have recognized that while I have some tangible items I could mark with a stick-it note, others would prove difficult. Since a stick-it note won't work for everything, I want to start here, with a list:
(1) Myself- I wish I could take credit for this observation, but another thought of it first. None the less, the truth of it still holds. All that I am, my very breath is God-given. Everything I accomplish and all the good I do has been accomplished by God's design or through His express leading. All that I am yet to do should be for His glory and not my own.
(2) My time- I like having a schedule because I like knowing what is coming up and being able to prepare for it. So for me, this is a BIG one. I may schedule my days but in the end, my time (what I do each hour and how many hours I remain on earth) are the Lord's. I can be quite task-oriented and results driven which causes me to hold tightly to my schedule. In those moments, people become interruptions to be quickly addressed. When I hold loosely to my plans knowing my time is ultimately the Lord's and all the results are His, people become the focus and purpose.
(3) My health- Generally I would say that I am in good health and frequently when I am ill, I can become frustrated by my inability to function in the way and to the level with which I am accustomed. Yet in those moments of weakness, I often find the strength of God, the grace and compassion of His people and see more clearly His priorities in the place of my own busyness. The Lord can and will use me for His purposes whether I am well or sick. It is my place to allow that to happen and seek Him whatever comes my way.
(4) Savings Account- I believe " The Lord gives and the Lord takes away," and so I believe that all of the money in all of our bank accounts is from the Lord. I also believe that "to whom much has been given, much shall be required," and the way I see it- no matter what our income- we have been given so much financially. So all of our finances are the Lord's, and we will be held accountable for how we have used those funds. Ye while I know that money will come and go with our checking account, I have a much harder time when it comes to our savings. It can be so hard to spend money that we have placed in our savings account- even when it is for a worthwhile cause. The questions- the fears of "what if?" However it all goes back to how tightly I hold to my plans- in this case, plans for our savings. Will the funds in there be used solely according to our predetermined plan or will I remember that the funds are ultimately His?
(5) Our Children- Our girls are gifts from God, entrusted to our care. They may have lived inside my womb for many months and may have received 50% of their DNA from me, but they are not mine. They are God's design and His creation. It is not my job to make them into the people I want them to be but to help guide them so they can grow into the young ladies God has created them to be.
(6) The Bible- This one may seem obvious because we often refer to the Bible as God's word and in the process we are giving Him ownership. However it is all too easy to turn to the Scriptures to find- not God's word- but our answer. Armed with knowledge of what we want the Bible to prove or disprove, we can often find or make a verse/passage say what we want it to say. I see this often in Biblical arguments and each time they remind me that I also need to be careful in approaching the Bible, to hear- not what I want, but- what God would say.
(7) Our Vehicles- Our vehicles aren't anything terribly special, but they were and remain two of the largest investments we maintain. And if for no other reason, their cost/value makes them something I fret over. Each little scratch, ding, or rub, not to mention the perpetual cracked windshield we seem to acquire, makes me cringe and can cause me to tighten my grip. Really though, why did we purchase the vehicles? Was it to keep them pristine, shiny and looking brand new or did we intend to use them as a means to attend work, visit family and friends, and generally share in life. Our vehicles are a means- a tool- and in the end, ultimately they must be at the disposal of God. Though even now writing that statement makes me stress a bit. Looks like there is still lots of room to grow.
(8) Drew- Drew is my husband. He is my love, my partner and my best friend. He is my support and my encourager. Yet no matter how many "my" statements I stack up, one thing remains: Drew is first and foremost a child of God and a follower of Christ. He will always consider my opinion and my wants, but in the end he will answer to God.
(9) My Future- Well if it hasn't already become clear, I am a planner. I like to know what is coming. Yet more and more, I feel as though when it comes to the "big" questions of my own future, I increasingly cannot see the answers. It's not an easy place for me but it helps remind me, that my future belongs to the Lord. Not only is He my creator, but I willingly gave Him the lead in my life twenty years ago when I claimed Him as my Lord and Savior.
