Just Tenants

Leviticus 25:21-23 - The answer is, 'I will order my blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a bumper crop, enough to support you for three years.  As you plant the seed in the eighth year, you will still be eating the produce of the previous year. In fact, you will eat from the old crop until the new harvest comes in the ninth year.'  And remember, the land must never be sold on a permanent basis because it really belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenants living with me.

 

More great words from the Lord…for Moses to deliver to these people who were learning to worship what was true and real. He told them to let the land rest….every 7 years…just like we should rest on the Sabbath...or every seventh day of work. He told them to depend on God for all they needed in that full year of not harvesting crops…not pruning any grapes. He told them to trust God for even an abundance of what they would need in that time of rest. He even reminded them that all they had belonged to God…that land could be traded and sold …but they should never trade it permanently.

 

And after 7 of these great years of rest had passed…they were to have a great jubilee.  On the 50^th year they were not just to rest…they were to forgive all debt….give back land that was sold…restore what had been lost by life’s craziness…so that all people would have a sort of do-over.  The anticipation of this year was to control the price of anything sold….so that fairness would rule in all transactions.

 

One commentator said that this seventh year policy…and the 50 year celebration God had ordered would have eradicated poverty if it had been adhered to. But no evidence that it was ever carried out can be found in the Bible. Just a random thought…but I fear that our world has become so greedy that it could never really be carried out in these days either.

 

What caught my eye and heart last night…as I was reading…were the words… “it really belongs to me”…and  “you are only foreigners and tenants”…in verse 23.  I wonder if I truly believe that everything I have belongs to God….do I really consider everything I have a true blessing…that he just gave me because he loves me?  Do I really give everything I own back to him to use the way he wants?  The answer has to be no….if I am honest…for God sees straight down into my soul and knows the things I cling to as mine.  The greed of this world slaps us in the face every moment of every day…and I am reminded this day that I am still basically selfish inside…and need to rearrange some thought patterns about what is truly mine…if I take to heart this scripture.

 

Father…as the tears begin to flow…I thank you that you just won’t be satisfied with the selfishness I try to cling to in my heart.  You keep speaking to my heart and trying to remove all the bits of me that keep me from understanding how you truly love us.  Help me father to let go of these last bits of me…and begin to consider everything you have placed in my reach a thing you have simply lent to me…to use to get to know you better…to use to help others understand your love. Let these tears of conviction wash clean my soul…and bring to my conscious all the things I have never offered back to you.  Let my days here on your Earth be used to shine a bright light on the love you have given to all. Amen.