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Psalms 24:1

¹The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

We sometimes think of possessions as being ours. We are stewards over things but for a short time. Everything is from God and will return to God. I am speaking not just of physical things but also power and authority. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 11Yours, O 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, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 12 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.

Whatever you have, whatever authority or influence you attain to, it is all from God, and it will all return to God. He is all-powerful and so all power is from Him and returns to Him. We need to get a grip on this reality so that we don't get wrapped up in the idea of possessing things. Your house is not yours. Your clothes are not yours. Your children are not yours. They all belong to God. How should that affect our attitude when we must part with any of these? If we think we own something, we will cling desperately to it and be grieved when it is taken. If we realize all comes from God and returns to God, we can let go, graciously thanking Him for the short time we were blessed to be the stewards of God's gifts.

This acknowledgement of reality will also keep us from the selfish attitude that God owes us something. Romans 11:35 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? We have never given to God anything that was not His already. Now do you still feel as generous about that last big offering you gave? It was God's already. The act of giving at the leading of the Holy Spirit is just a reminder that we are only stewards who should act according to God's direction when He tells us to do something with what is His already.

Suggestion: Look around you. Imagine a name label on everything you see, "On loan from Almighty God." See how that changes your attitude toward all possessions.