If I owned the world...

"Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were an offering far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine, 

Demands my soul, my life, my all."

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts.

I had these words going through my head this morning, and it got me thinking: the whole realm of nature. Wow. If I had possession of everything on earth, in the entire universe, it would still be an offering FAR too small for this love that demands my all. It's like saying that if I owned the world, it'd be a puny thing to give to Him.

It makes you step back and think a moment about what you can give Him that's of any worth--and you find that even giving Him your all seems far too small. However, it's all we have to give--and really, it's not even ours to give in the first place. So I suppose what I'm saying is that the very best thing we can give God is not even ours, it's all God's--so why don't we give it to Him?

So many people spend their lives chasing that which will not last; money, fame, and even comfort. And meanwhile pastors are being stabbed in Honduras, Chinese Christians are beaten, Syrian believers...God be with them, and we whittle our lives away. Some people drink, other's party--some waste it in more innocuous packages, like talking on idle subjects, surfing the internet, plodding through a day without a smile...life is a gift that we've been given so that we can give it back to God. 

Were all of nature ours, it would be an inadequate offering to the One that made it. We can only give Him what He's already made, it's like getting a painting then gifting it to the painter,

     "Here, I was given this painting from you and thought, you know, that'd I'd give it back, because it's the best thing I have."

Some dawdle in finger paints of their messes, trying to please Him with their own abilities and make a Mona Lisa out of mud. Still others don't even bother; if they do any paintings they hoard them or give them to the wrong god.

We'll never paint anything worthwhile on our own, and it will never be meaningful if we keep it to ourselves. Likewise, we can't live a worthwhile life on our own, and it will never have any purpose unless we give it to God.

So what are you going to do about it?