Whose Is It? And Whose Am I?

Last night my husband and I listened to a sermon online by Rick Atchley, our church's minister. (See link on the right side of this page for the church's website. You can also access the sermons online.) The message, titled "Home Financing" is about managing finances, and Rick reminds listeners that everything we have is from God. Our money, as we call it, isn't really our money. God gives us everything. Oh, we may work for the money we earn, but God enabled us to have our jobs. He bestowed us with the unique talents to allow us to work in our different positions. This idea that our money is really God's is a hard one to grasp and even harder to integrate into how we use money. But it's certainly one that we need to think about more and (this makes the most sense) pray about more.

This morning I read I Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

When Paul wrote this, he was addressing the sexual sins that the church members in Corinth were committing. But the verse can be applied further, to other issues. God made us stewards of even our bodies. How it must hurt Him to see His children mistreating their bodies. Whether it's with food, smoking, lack of exercise, not getting regular check-ups, or letting anxiety wear your body down, God does not want to see one of His creations misused.

Let's remember that God gave us everything, even these external cases for our souls and spirits, and we should honor the privilege of being stewards of His gifts to us.