It's God's Land

 There is a big difference between renting a house and owning a house. When we rent a house, the owner is responsible for making all the rules and making the repairs. Sometimes, the owner will even put a limit on how long the renters can live there. That is why most people would prefer to own their home instead of renting. However, the actual reality is that none of us own anything. Everything we have is owned by God.

In Israel God made all of the rules about dividing the land and how it was to be used by His people. (Leviticus 25:23) He told them that the land was never to be sold on a permanent basis. because the land belonged to Him. The people were only foreigners and tenant farmers working for Him. God had a purpose in doing it this way, and we need to try to understand His reasoning.

God wanted everyone to have what they needed to make a living for their family. They divided the land by lot so each tribe had plenty of land for their people. However, some people did better at taking care of their families and money than others did, so the land would be sold to pay debts. Some people even had to become servants for other people to pay their debts. That is why God's rule was for the servants to be set free every 7 years, and for the land to return to its owners every 50 years. Sounds strange to us, but it shows God's heart.

Now, we need to realize that all of our land and money and possessions belong to God. We are just managers or stewards of what He has allowed  to have. He knows some of us will be better managers than others, so He wants all of us to look to Him to show us how to make a living for our family. When we do that, He will always show us how we can have what we need. If we don't do that, we will have to do without or suffer the loss of a house or land. Therefore, let's all acknowledge that all we have belongs to God and let Him show us just how to use it for His glory and our good. 

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 26-27 and Numbers 1.