Regard Not Your Stuff
pamela spurling
We sometimes fear what God might ask of us. We fear He
just may send us to Africa (gasp!)
or some other place we
know we do
not want to go; we fear He may ask us to (gasp)
Homeschool, submit to (gasp!) our own husband, have a home
business or do things we’ve never done or, never (gasp!)
wanted to do. We may have
several “never’s” on our list.
We think not so
much of where we’re going or what we’re going to do as
what we’ll necessarily have to leave behind. Consider
Joseph:
Genesis 45.17-21
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren,
This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the
land of Canaan; And take your father and your
households, and come unto me: and I will give you the
good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of
the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you
wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones,
and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.
Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land
of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so:
and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the
commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the
way.
Did you catch a few morsels of truth in that passage?
God uses situations — whomever, whatever and however He
wants — for His purposes. God used Pharaoh to
accomplish His purposes and He will use men and women in
our lives, situations we face: mission fields or
businesses or ministries He’s given us: to accomplish
His plans for us. As wives and mothers, we might not
immediately see how He’s using us… it might be years
down the road when we get a glimpse of how He’s
used/using us. Note what Pharaoh said – and I think
what God says to us in verse 20: “Also regard not your
stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.”
Regard not your stuff. But we do regard our stuff,
don’t we?! We think on our stuff, plan for our
stuff, guard our stuff and probably often covet even more
stuff. But when God has a plan and that plan calls for
action, I think one of the most important decisions we
need to make is the decision to NOT regard our stuff.
You know what that “stuff” is in Genesis? It’s the same
sort of stuff we have in our lives… our homes: our
stuff. Strong’s identifies it like this:
from 3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an
implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour
((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish,
furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one
from another, that which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery,
sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, +
whatsoever.
Read those words again… you’ll get a better picture of
the stuff God doesn’t want you to regard when He places
a call for you to do something. And the next time God
asks something of you and you’re tempted to say no or to
doubt the plan or God’s design for the next season,
regard not your stuff… your clothes, purses, 15
passenger carriage, your furniture—your sofa and your
hutch, the Bosch instrument in your kitchen, the
jewels, vases… the scrapbooks, the plans, the quilts…
hopefully, this little message will come back to your
remembrance: regard not your stuff.
Maybe God’s calling
you to give Him Lordship of your womb and you might fear
you can’t handle what He might bring. Maybe you feel
like you cannot take care of many children, or that the
needs will be too great. Maybe you are too highly
regarding your husband, his life, health, job, finances,
companionship -- maybe all of those things prevent you
from fully trusting the Lord -- that it is Him -- the
Lord -- who provides for you, protects you, comforts you
--- guides you. I know I've put my husband in the
place of the Lord so many times -- feeling quite sure
I'll never survive should he die before me. Most times, the stuff we’re
“regarding” are things we cannot control or are things we
fear -- things we can't see.
See, we all have stuff we regard. God knows all this.
God knows what you’ve got, what you like, what you need
and what you think
you need and on and on. God knows it all. But you know
what? Most important is: that God knows what you
really need
and He’s already
made provision for it. We, you and I, need to
accept His
call, accept
His plan and not regard our stuff so much that we miss
it: God’s marvelous plan. And, worse,
that we reject His marvelous plans.
Remember: “… regard not your stuff; for the good of all
the land of Egypt is yours.” I think the LORD has this
note in Scripture for our good — it’s a reminder to us
that we needn’t worry about what we might have to leave
behind because He already has a plan for us.
You know a couple of very familiar passages: Romans 8.28
and Jeremiah 29.11. Have you thought on them in awhile?
I’d like to say that those two verses, in particular,
are very helpful, but I’d like to suggest reading the
passages that contain those two verses for tremendous
encouragement and blessing. Here they are in part:
Romans 8.26-32
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the
mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for
the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and
whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be
for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up
for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give
us all things?
Jeremiah 29.10-14
10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be
accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my
good word toward you, in causing you to return to this
place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to
give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray
unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall
search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I
will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you
from all the nations, and from all the places whither I
have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you
again into the place whence I caused you to be carried
away captive.
So, fret not over what God’s doing in your life or
where He’ll call you to go or what He’ll call you to do.
Don’t regard your stuff. God cares for you and the
Holy Spirit is always making intercession for you. The
LORD Jesus has taken care of everything that concerns
you. God says He will be found by you when you call
upon His name.
Praise the LORD and God bless you.
With sincere love and thanks for allowing me to share
with you each week.
http://www.AChristianHome.org
©A Christian Home ~
Letters To My Sisters ~ 2007
