Picturing the front room of my house would be hard without our grand piano.  When we were newly weds, my husband and I had the most amazing thing happen to us.  A family friend needed a place to store a gorgeous grand piano…and, to our delight, it came to us.  We’ve had it for two years now while they have served in the military.

This piano feels so much like our own, but really, it’s borrowed.

Just before our wedding, my husband had sold his own piano to pay for our honeymoon.  It was a sacrificial move for him.  But, that made us the perfect candidates to receive this huge piano, having made room for it.

I look around my home at all the things we have. If this piano is borrowed, I wonder what else is.  There are so many worship songs that speak to the truth that “everything belongs to God”.

Does it mean that nothing is mine?

In 1st Chronicles chapter 29:11, David praises God, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.”

We have a rich God – a loving God.  Take a look at the things you’ve collected over the years, the so-called junk and the priceless heirlooms.  A stockpile of things, the numerous Christmas gifts… God has more for us than all of this.  But, I think we hold so tightly to the treasures before us that we miss the real gifts God has to give.

“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity.

We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.

We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”

–Galatians 5:22-23 The Message

One month after our wedding, we never could have afforded to buy a luxury piano.  It took us giving up the small piano – unknowingly making room to receive the very best God had for us.  It’s just a temporary addition to our home, but isn’t this stuff temporary?

A friend of mine, Diane Nix, lives in New Orleans and lost all of her belongings in hurricane Katrina.  I saw a photo of her home and it made me gasp. How beautiful! I thought she must have been collecting those things for a lifetime to look so exquisite.  But the even more beautiful, is after Katrina, different people who felt compelled by God to bless her gave each piece of furniture to her.  (www.dianenix.com)

You can’t out-give God. He is all about restoring and blessing His children.  But, we can certainly hold God back with the attitude of our hearts.  Everything He gives – both spiritual and physical – is a sign of His commitment of love – and this love from Him is more than enough for every need.

Are you living with tight fists or open hands? God wants us to call every bit of what we have “HIS”, not “MINE”.

-Elissa