The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord. [Psalm 24:1 (CSB)]
The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours. The world and everything in it—you founded them. [Psalm 89:11 (CSB)]
The two were seated next to us on the patio; the frail elderly woman was the mother and the younger woman her daughter. After pondering the menu, the mother had all sorts of questions about it. In no rush to order, she dithered over her entrée choice and, once food was served, she lingered over it. As I observed the two women, I could see and hear the daughter’s growing frustration and impatience with her mother. They reminded me of the times I took my mother-in-law out to lunch. Having “been there and done that,” I wanted to tell the daughter to be patient. One day, mom would be gone and she’d wish they had more days together.
Because they are our possessions and we have control over them, we say we own things like our money, house, car, lawnmower, and toothbrush. I suspect we also think we own our time but, when you think about it, we don’t. Like everything else, it’s a gift from God. While we have clocks and calendars to help us keep track of it, God is the one who owns our time and has ultimate control over it! Nevertheless, because we think our time is ours alone, we often dole it our sparingly or not at all. Moreover, just as a toddler feels put upon when his mother makes him share his toys, we tend to resent the imposition when called upon to share our time in a way we hadn’t planned.
In her later years, we took my mother-in-law to her numerous appointments and a day with Gert was a little like the children’s story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. In Laura Numeroff’s circular tale, the mouse’s simple request for a cookie leads to a series of escalating demands of things like milk, a straw, a napkin, a mirror, nail scissors, a broom, a nap, a story, paper, crayons, a pen, and scotch tape before ending up with the mouse wanting another cookie!
Whether we took Gert to doctor, hairdresser, seamstress, or shopping, the undertaking was guaranteed to take all day. Once done with the first task, Gert would add more errands to run and more places to visit. By then she’d be hungry and insist it was time for lunch. Once in a restaurant, she’d scrutinize the entire menu forever and discuss the various items before finally requesting the burger she always ordered. She was even slower to finish her meal and, once done, she’d order coffee before deciding about dessert. Once Gert was home, she’d insist we come in and “sit awhile” which often led to our staying for dinner at her senior residence! Just as the act of giving one cookie to a mouse led to a whole series of unexpected events for the little boy, a ride to a one appointment with my mother-in-law led to a full day’s outing for us.
It wasn’t just her advanced age that made my mother-in-law seem so needy, slow, and indecisive. I suspect she wanted to spend more time with us and the numerous errands and lengthy meals were a way to do that! As pleasant at those days with Gert were, they were time-consuming. I admit there were times we felt she infringed on time that was rightfully ours! As much as we loved her, it was easy for us to resent the hours she took from our day. That feeling of being imposed upon didn’t come from God—it came from the enemy. Our selfishness came from the mistaken assumption that we owned the 24-hours of each day and could spend them as we wished rather than as God desired.
If Jesus appeared and asked us to spend the day with a widowed elderly woman, we gladly would say yes (and be thankful it wasn’t a bigger ask). What if He asked us to spend time packing groceries at the food bank, helping at Vacation Bible school, volunteering at the charity thrift shop, visiting a house-bound neighbor, bringing communion to a shut-in, or tutoring youngsters at the Boys and Girls club? Because He asked, we’d happily do it without resenting Him or those we served. The thing is—Jesus asked us to do those things when He was here so He shouldn’t have to ask us again now! He calls on us to use His time as He would have it used! Never rushed, if God Himself found time to feed the hungry and heal the sick, we have the time to serve both loved ones and strangers alike!
In truth, nothing—not our time, talents, or even bodies—are truly ours; they all belong to God. Rather than the owner, we are merely stewards of God’s gifts. The time God gives us is to be used for His glory. When given the opportunity to serve Him by helping others, let’s respond with joy, enthusiasm, and a large dose of patience on the side—always remembering that what we do for others, we are doing for Him! As the Psalmist said, let us “Serve the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful songs.” [100:2]
How could we enjoy heaven if during our lifetime we had used most of our time, treasure, and talents for ourselves and our select group? [Daniel Fuller]
It’s often said, “Like father, like son,” and that was true of my father-in-law and his sons. Although they weren’t carbon copies of their dad, the boys shared several characteristics with the man who fathered them. In the same way, because God created us in His image, we share some of His characteristics. Of course, there are many important ways we are not like our Creator—He is all-knowing, eternal, all-powerful, and ever-present. Without a physical body, we don’t have things like God’s nose, hair color, or smile. Nevertheless, we do resemble Him in the spiritual, moral, and intellectual attributes of our nature that distinguish us from the rest of the animal world.
“I’m so busy!” If there’s even a remote possibility that we might be asked to do something we’d rather avoid, we can cut off the request at the pass by starting the conversation with those words. It’s the perfect out. On the other hand, when said to us, we can’t argue with it.
Tithe means ten percent and the concept of the making a tithe is first found in Genesis. After being blessed by Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a “priest of God Most High,” Abram/Abraham gave him a tenth of all the goods he recovered from Kedorlaomer’s army after rescuing Lot. [14:20] After Jacob asked for God’s protection and provision, he pledged a tenth of his future blessings to Him. [28:22]
In 1 Kings 21, we learn of Naboth, the owner of a vineyard adjacent to King Ahab’s palace in Jezreel. A choice piece of real estate, Ahab wanted it for himself and offered to purchase or exchange it for other land. Property, however, wasn’t to be treated as a real estate investment—it was to remain in the family to which it had been allotted. Because Jewish law prohibited Naboth from selling his ancestral land, he rejected the king’s offer. Angry at his neighbor’s refusal’s, Ahab acted like a spoiled child, took to his bed, and refused to eat. Upon learning the reason for her husband’s sulking, Jezebel hatched a devious plan. She arranged for false accusations to be made against Naboth that would result in his immediate death. Jezebel’s evil plot went as planned and, upon news of their neighbor’s death, she told Ahab the land was his and he took it for himself!
We tend to think of fasting during Lent as abstaining from certain foods, drinks, or activities. Several years ago, however, I was asked, “What if you fasted regret? What if your friends fasted comparison? What would be the fruit of fasting stinginess?” Those questions proposed an entirely different kind of fast than refraining from sweets or social media. In truth, fasting from things like self-righteousness, discontent, and criticism is probably harder (and more meaningful) than giving up energy drinks or dining out.
Devotions of the Heart 