Ownership

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. 1st Peter 4:10

My dogs have things that belong to them. Addie loves toys, and seemingly treats each little toy as special. She has her own Addie sized bed, a couple of them, one for the car, one for the living room, a few pillows she likes to lie on that are essentially hers. She doesn’t like to share water so she even has her own little water dish. Ella has a small squirrel toy that she thinks is her child. She picks the little rodent shaped ball up before bed and tucks it in with her most nights. I love to watch them enjoy the things they have. I love to give them things, I love that they see them as their own. In reality though, I’ll inherit these things. Someday when my dogs pass away I’ll be left holding an empty bed and used toys with little holes and stitches in them. It’s sad because it means that I’m no longer with my dogs on earth. At the end of the day I’ll have some things that I’ll essentially find useless, full of memories certainly, but not nearly as valuable to me as the one who I made the memories with.

The things we hold dear that were given to us by God will fade away. They’re truly only valuable because we have them. Our bank account, or car, or home isn’t something God will keep. He gave it to us because He loves us. He is a good father that loves to give us more than we need or deserve. When we join him in heaven they’ll be memories but not something He needs or we miss.The things we hold dear truly belong to God, he passed down small things that we’re stewards over for a time. We can enjoy them, we can cherish them, but they’re not as important to God as the one he’s making the memories with.

Dear God,

You give me so many good things. Help me to see them as the temporary gifts they are and focus on the love you have, that you would give such good things.