What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Corinthians 4:7)
Everyone is owned. The question that must be answered is, “What or who owns us?” Now it is easy to figure out because there are only two options, we are owned either by our Savior or by our stuff? So, how would you answer this question today?
When we are owned by our stuff, we have removed our Savior from the throne of our lives and in essence, we have made Him the “previous owner” of all we possess including ourselves. We have elevated the gifts of life above and beyond the Giver of those gifts. We have replaced our Savior with our stuff and our lives are marked by enjoying, serving, and loving the gifts from God rather than God Himself. We are owned by what we possess rather than being owned by the One who possesses everything.
Here is what we need to remember. Everything we have has been “loaned” to us by God. He is never the “previous owner.” He owns it all and simply allows us to manage and steward it for His glory and the good of others. The apostle Paul makes that clear in our verse today. Everything we have has been given to us by God. Our next breath and our next heart beat is a gift of God. How foolish to think we are owners rather than being owned by the One who is both the Creator and Sustainer of life itself.
So, let me ask you this question, “What or who owns you right now?” What is the confession of your life today? No matter how much you have accumulated, whose is it really? Perhaps this would be a good time to prayerfully consider a “transfer of ownership?” Remember, we were bought at the highest price possible – the precious blood of our Savior. We are not our own. We are His and that is the only place in life where we will ever truly find whatever it is we are looking for, because our Savior is the end of our searching, for He is the owner of it all, including you and me.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
