It's All Yours

I love the picture I get in my mind when I read 1 Chronicles 29.  King David is standing in the middle of more than 300 tons of gold and 638 tons of silver along with 675 tons of bronze with his arms stretched out, praising God saying "It's all yours".  I think about this passage whenever I find myself focusing on my money and my stuff.

 Do you see that 'my' word crop up?  The truth is - it's not mine.  You don't own anything, either. Everything we have has been given to us by our Father God.  He owns it.  We are just taking care of what he has given us while we are here on earth.

 It all stays when we leave this planet - all of it.

When I really started to understand this and apply it to my life, it became much easier to give stuff away.  It wasn't mine, I wasn't using it - God would want someone to have it that could benefit from it.  Yes, it's 'worth something'.  That means its a great thing to give away - it doesn't mean I should keep it.

I regularly give some of the resources he has given me back to him because I'm grateful for all that he has given me.  I give a tithe to his purposes and ministries and missions because they are doing God's will here on earth.

But it's about more than just money. You and I are called to get involved - being a disciple of Jesus is not a spectator sport.  God has given us EVERYTHING we have which includes the air that we breathe. We are Jesus's hands and feet on this planet so we need to be moving and doing in Jesus' name.

In gratitude for all he has given us, please join me and King David as we lift our hands to the sky, praising our Father today -

"Praise be to you, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  Now, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name."  1 Chronicles 29: 10 - 13.

Thank you, Abba Father!