Stewardship

Our blog at Compass Free Methodist Church is a resource for looking at our circumstances from God’s point of view. One aspect of Christian maturity is stewardship.

It’s based on the premise that we can talk about money without asking for it because stewardship is focused on our relationship with God. Money is one part of that response, just like prayer, service, godly conversation, and inviting our friends and neighbors into a relationship with God.

So, today’s message comes from Ecclesiastes 5:19.

[I]t is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.

To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – this is indeed a gift from God.

Despite the questions the IRS asks American taxpayers each April, God is the source of our money, not our employers. Yes, our employers possessed that money most recently before we received it as our wages.

But employers do not create it. Only God is the Creator.

We cannot have a relationship with money without having a relationship with God.

Or maybe the more accurate way to say that is, we cannot have a healthy, spiritual relationship with money without God.

How do we respond to such a wonderful gift?

King Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 5 that wealth and health are gifts of God to be enjoyed. So is our work. What is the purpose of money, health, and work?

Ecclesiastes 5 also says that we come into the world naked, the same way we depart. When we’re naked, we have no pockets to hold any wealth. Clearly wealth is designed just for the living. So we make choices about money. We can decide how to use our wealth, health, and work – as a part of God’s design or not. Some people are willing to use their money for God’s work. Other people are simply willful.

What are God’s purposes? Seek first the kingdom of God!

Love God wholeheartedly and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Stewardship is using our resources – wealth, health, even our work – to bring glory to God.