Stuff

I have lots of stuff. Some of it I will use once a year and other stuff I will use daily, weekly or monthly. I am like a lot of people who have more stuff than they need. (I’m thankful that this is NOT my garage!) I sometimes find myself on Amazon looking for more stuff. If I’m shopping on “Today’s Deals” on Amazon, I’m not generally not looking for something I need, I’m looking for a good deal on more stuff. I am thankful for my home that was affordable to me years ago. I am learning to seek contentment with the blessings I have.

Joshua reviews the division of the land. They are not finished conquering the land yet, but the tribes on the east side of the Jordan river already have their allotment, but they are still fighting with the rest of the nation for the land promised to them by God. There is one tribe that did not get any allotment in land, but they got everything. Check this out…

¹⁴ Moses did not assign any allotment of land to the tribe of Levi. Instead, as the Lord had promised them, their allotment came from the offerings burned on the altar to the Lord, the God of Israel. (Joshua 13:14 NLT)

The tribe of Levi were given no land. They had no territory. They were given charge of the cities of Refuge. They were given charge of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. They were the connection of the people to God Himself. Their food, their supplies, their clothing – all their needs were provided for by the offerings that the people gave to the Lord.  This reminded of my days as a youth pastor, where my income was provided by the church from the offerings of the people. It is not easy seeing others make loads more money while what you have seems so small. It is so easy to take my eye of what is most important – have the Lord in charge of all I have and all that I am. He is enough of a possession – I don’t need “bigger this” and “bigger that”. He is sufficient. I can’t take any of my possessions with me when I leave this earth. I would be wiser to embrace His Presence and His call upon my heart. I should live as if I’ll die tomorrow, die knowing I’ll live forever.

Jesus reminds us that if we try to hang too tightly to the temporary – land, possessions and stuff, that we could lose that which is eternal and way more important. Check this out…

²⁵If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. ²⁶ And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. (Matthew 6:25-27 NLT)

I need to keep proper perspective on all that I’ve “earned” and all the “stuff” that I’ve acquired. I could be wealthy beyond my wildest dreams and still lose the one eternal thing that matters most – my soul.  I’m holding on to my stuff a lot more loosely now.

Pressing On!

Dwayne