photo : Robin MacKinnon
perfectly worded in Genesis 1:1 , “ In the beginning , God created the heavens and the earth .” All things are created by Him , and all things are His , for His glory and His pleasure . While this concept was familiar to me , I wondered how effectively I lived its truth — that God is THE creator and has full rights and ownership over everything .
As my husband and I prayed over how God wanted us to practically apply the lessons encapsulated in that 11-letter word , God led us to four specific areas to seek His heart and guidance for improvement : the stewardship of our time , our children , our health and our finances .
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Finances are the area we most often associate with the word stewardship , and rightly so , as the Bible has much to say about how we manage the money God entrusts to us . I imagined stepping into a business meeting with the creator of the universe , 2012 bank statements in one hand , the 2013 proposed budget in the other , and I pondered what He might say . Would He rejoice in the $ 4 coffee drinks I had purchased throughout the year while children around the globe starve ? Would He approve of the new clothing and shoes that were bought and added to an already full closet while missionaries struggle to get funded so they can share the life-saving news of the Gospel with those perishing ?
I was stunned and saddened as I considered how choices I had made were clearly in stark contrast to how the Owner of the money would have wanted it spent . Still , He , in His mercy and grace , gave me another chance — a new year , a new budget , a clearer understanding of His priorities .
We now have created specific goals to limit our spending in areas that don ’ t matter in eternity ; we are committed to give more away to those things that will last forever . We are excited to use the finaces He gives us for His worldwide and eternal redemptive movement .
Jesus commands us to take the Good News to the corners of the globe . That takes money ! Will you join me in looking for ways to support more missionaries , to give to the poor and needy and to spend the money God has entrusted to us in the way He would if He were writing the check ?
Many OMS missionaries need more support . For a quick look at a few missionaries who currently need funding , please see page 27 , or email Bill Oden , director of Missionary Services , at boden @ onemissionsociety . org for a complete list .