Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 9: Stewardship”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
What do stewardship and evolution have to do with each other?
I have to be upfront, I didn’t really consider a connection until this week and looking at our key verse and key truth for the week.
The key truth: I believe everything I am and everything I own belong to God.
The key verse: Psalm 24:1-1 “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.”
This passage puts forward that everything in and on the earth is the Lord’s for the very reason HE founded it. HE established it.
SO…if someone founds a company or establishes and organization, I’m pretty sure he gets to direct how it is used. It’s the nature of ownership. Your company…your call.
SO…if the earth is the Lord’s…it’s his call how it is used. If the earth just evolved with no creator or owner, it is every living being’s role to claim what they can to survive.
The connection between stewardship and evolution is this:
If God created everything, it is his and HE gets to direct how his stuff is used.
If everything evolved, I need to gather as much as I need in order to survive. I determine how it is used.
I will say there is another factor in this discussion: our sinful, human heart. It wants to make the call too.
So what will it be?
The key truth this week sparks a key question: “Whose stuff is this?”
How I answer this question determines what I believe about “stewardship.” Being a steward implies management of stuff FOR someone else. So I really have two choices:
Will I see my stuff and my life as God’s and manage it HIS way or will I see my stuff and my life as mine and manage it MY way? This week we’ll explore the two perspectives and discover the blessing of managing all I have God’s way.
To begin your week, consider this parable Jesus told. What lessons is he teaching you today?
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Jesus wants us to enjoy the fun and blessing of being a steward for HIM! Let’s learn more this week!
Apply: Simply evaluate for yourself: Do I see the stuff I have as MINE or as GOD’S?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being the Creator of all and establishing this earth for your glory and my benefit. Forgive me for my selfishness and I pray, grant me your Spirit to renew my mind and heart to see and manage all things for YOUR glory, for they are yours to begin with. AMEN.