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“...give to God the things that are God’s.”
Matthew 22:21

Question: What belongs to God?

Danger: Trick question!

Answer: Everything!

In the gospel story for this coming Sunday, people try to trap Jesus by asking him a yes/no question about a deeply divisive issue. They sought to force him into either alienating a powerful group or being subject to arrest. “Tell us, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus refuses to play. (Read Matthew chapter 22.) Jesus does not make a split between religion and political aspects of life. Everything belongs to God. Including that which is governed by Caesar.

As we read in today’s Notes on Notes, the beautiful hymn Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated Lord to Thee by Frances Havergal lists all that we offer to God, which is everything we have:

My life:  All I have, all-inclusive

My moments:  That I give even the simplest minutes of an ordinary day to God’s use

My days:  How I dedicate each day

My hands:  How I serve

My feet:  Where I go to serve

My silver and my gold:  The money I have, from little to large

My intellect:  How I think-through complex matters

My will:  How I make choices “being of the same mind as Christ”

My heart:  The vibrant soul of me

My love:  That I may hold dear what God holds dear

We dedicate everything to God, for it is from God that we have it in the first place. God entrusts us with these riches that we become stewards of God’s gifts.

God, make us good and wise and generous stewards as we release them into your hands. Amen.

Over these next Sundays we prayerfully consider what we, as followers of Jesus, give into God’s service. Stewardship Ingathering and Reformation Sunday is October 25. I invite you to join me in celebrating that Re-newal and Re-formation of our lives together as Church, that God would use us with our combined everything to continue to love and bless the community.