There is a tendency-maybe even more than that-for people to say or think that this (fill-in-the-blank) is mine. “I worked hard for it. I paid for it. It is mine.” Granted, that is a logical statement to make given our bent toward selfishness. But is it true?

The jury says no. I’d say no. And I’m pretty sure God would also say a big. fat. NO.

Those are the words of the self-made person. Paul David Tripp is fond of writing about our “little kingdom of one.” I have several books by him and he talks a lot about a kingdom of one. In his January 24 devotion from New Morning Mercies he wrote this:

Your little kingdom of one cannot compete with the glory of the kingdom of God, which is yours by grace alone.

A bit later in that same devotion he writes:

God didn’t give us His grace in order to make our little claustrophobic kingdoms of one work, but to invite us to a much, much better kingdom.

I think one of the ways we avoid this “little kingdom of one” approach is to remember that none of “this” belongs to me/us. The Scripture tells us “He (God) owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” None of it is mine…or yours.

Abraham Kuyper, an influential theologian who also served as prime minister of the Netherlands once said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine’!” (Begg-p.32)

All I have belongs to Him. All you have belongs to Him. Let’s stop “owning” it. And let’s stop holding onto it so tightly.

“Father, all I have is Yours. Help me to hold things loosely.”