1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. (Psalm 24:1 – 2)
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:17 – 18)
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. (1 Chronicles 29:13 – 14)
Today we switch our attention to Stewardship. Fundamentally, the lifestyle of a steward is the lifestyle of submission. If submission to God is not a part of our identity, then the significance of Stewardship is lost. This conclusion is reached because the Biblical version of stewardship asserts that everything we have comes from God. In other words, we are working with God’s resources.
Please prayerfully reflect on the passages above.
Something to think about:
How unwavering is your belief that God owns everything?
March 15, 2018 at 5:40 am
Stewardship has revolutionized my thinking. God owns everything (including my life) and he has given me the privilege to be the manager. For example, in a company the shareholders are the owners but sometimes the managing director/CEO could be perceived as the owners ( in some cases they would be if they are a shareholder). The shareholders hire the CEO to effectively manage their resources. I have to constantly remind myself that God is taking note of how I manage what he has entrusted to me ( time, talents, money, etc). This is a huge responsibility and it is not always an easy task because sometimes I behave as though I am the owner.
March 15, 2018 at 2:10 pm
My belief (that it’s all His stuff!) is unwavering, but the discipline to live by that truth consistently is the issue. For example, I know without a doubt that regular exercise will yield a healthier, happier me, yet the discipline to live by that belief falters. Increased self-awareness about my particular fleshly tendencies, followed by the discipline to stop, recognize them at work, and then act differently, intentionally, are the tools/techniques I find most helpful in this area.
March 15, 2018 at 2:27 pm
I have absolutely no doubt that God owns everything, including ‘the very air I breathe’ yet I recognize that even though my Father owns everything, I have an awesome responsibility both as a stewardess of all of His resources and also as an heiress to the kingdom. I do submit though that sometimes I feel as if my talents and abilities are not being utilized to their full potential, for various reasons.
March 19, 2018 at 6:29 am
Maverlin, so very much my thoughts, I wondered if you did the response
for me.
March 15, 2018 at 3:58 pm
I really remember that God owns everything when at night I take time to look at the stars.
March 15, 2018 at 6:56 pm
I accept that God owns everything. But sometimes, i fall into the trap that i am in control. This false perception has resulted in me sometimes not exercising wisdom with the resources entrusted to me.
March 17, 2018 at 9:35 am
Generally speaking I’m am aware that God owns it all. Daily I forget in some area of my life and being to worry or stress over situations that He is in control of. Daily there is a request and instead of having palms open to release what He has entrusted to me to distribute I hold it close. I find myself evaluating the worthiness of the individual. That is not what He asked me to do. I don’t want to be like the man who hid the talent. I want to be the person who knows I have a caring, kind and gracious master who has entrusted much to me and wants me to invest it in His priorities.