What Is And Is Not Ours

I was thinking this morning about the difference between the bowls of candy people keep on their desk for everyone to share and the lunch bag in the refrigerator that has a name on it.

God does this also. Some things are free like the candy in the bowl and others belong to God and if we are to have any of that thing it is because God has given it to us expressly on His terms.

Salvation is rare candy brought back from an exotic destination that is in a bowl on Jesus' desk. It is free but rare. No one else you are going to meet has this brand. You have to go to Him to get it.

What a difference taking things on our own terms is versus receiving them God's way. People take by themselves and they take together as if they can remake the guidelines that God has set forth. Sexuality is a labeled item. People may consent but that does not mean God has given His stamp of approval. God wants individuals protected... even against themselves. Human life is labeled. Human dignity is also. God has another way for our needs to be met in His time. Taking is a shortcut that undermines relationships.

"For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." - Romans 14:23b ESV

Sin is everything outside the relationship with God. Sin sneaks in the window of life instead of knocking on the door and waiting for the door to open.

You can go person by person through the scriptures and see people take what wasn't theirs to take but this account of David in a backslidden state is so clear.

"And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, 'There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.'

Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, 'As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.'

Nathan said to David, 'You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'

David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.'

And Nathan said to David, 'The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.'" - 2 Samuel 12:1-13 ESV

God said to David, 'I gave and would have given more to you but instead you took.'

God had made David royalty in Israel and made him into a spearhead to be victorious over the enemies of Israel in a way that no else had before.

Grace makes us this way. We have a victory that is ours and it is unusual and God given. We can take the land. We can function in mental warfare and win because we live in Jesus' victory. Taking what isn't ours will just hinder us from receiving the things that are freely given.

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David." - Isaiah 55:1-3 ESV

I want the words that can only be found in Christ's office. I want to receive what God gives freely and not live laboring to buy what I can't get on my own. God gives. He is so generous with what He has. His ownership is complete. His ways are perfect.

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Receiving The Position And The Provision

We don't have anything to give unless we first receive. Some things we receive once like a name or a title of some kind and other things we receive over and over again like food or money.

A job is a perfect example. On the interview you walk in as one category of person but if you are hired you suddenly become another. Suddenly you belong. You have received a position and will start receiving a pay check.

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" - Romans 8:32 ESV

"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." - John 1:16 ESV

God only gives to us based on grace. Instead of us going on the interview... Jesus did. Instead of us getting evaluated by our performance... Jesus Is. We can receive because of what Jesus did and who Jesus is. Jesus' position and performance are fixed. He Is sitting at the right hand of the Father in a position of rest and acceptance.

"By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." - 1 John 4:17 ESV

Can we fathom the implications of this! It is such good news. No Heavenly interviews... no evaluations in this life... no conditions... no probation... no lasting failures that hinder progress... We walk right past the front desk as if we belong and go boldly into the throne of Grace for help.

The only way we can be cut off from our provision is if we stop receiving it. Our position remains ours even if we disqualify ourselves and our provision remains available and waiting for us to start receiving it again. Once we start receiving we build momentum. That momentum can be lost and might take time to be regained but even that is not our work. God might just use our failure to propel us forward at an alarming rate.

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." - Ephesians 1:6 KJV

God has given us acceptance. We don't need to get it again and again.

"Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word," - Ephesians 5:25b-26 ESV

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2 ESV

We do need daily mind renewal. We are washed but our feet get dirty and need to be washed often in order to stay clean. God does that work for us. In humility we receive even that.

I don't want to go into this year forgetting what has happened to me because of what Jesus has done on my behalf and yours I don't want to leave my daily provision on the counter at home.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." - 1 Corinthians 15:10a ESV

The Apostle Paul refused to stop receiving what was freely given from God. We can do that also.

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