Rented or Owned

When I entered the workforce in the 1970's, I was pretty caught up in one idea of the American Dream ... home ownership.  I didn't have the income to own a home (at first) but I had always been told about the need to press toward the goal of moving from renting housing to owning property.  I was told that when you rent you must work with (sometimes pester) the landlord to repair the property.  Also, when you rent the landlord gets both the tax benefits and equity benefits of money spent on monthly house payments ... renters get neither.  So, we worked, strived, and finally purchased our own home.

While I won't go into a long discussion about renting vs owning, this idea brought something spiritual to mind that is worth discussion.  In Ephesians 3:17, Paul puts forth a prayer for the Church and for his people.  He says, "And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in Him!  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love."  This passage describes his desire and, I believe, God's desire for you, your family, your children and your church.  Here are a few thoughts about this passage.

First, when you read this, what is your desire?  Do you want to be rented or owned?  I think one of the most important and vital issues for the Church today is that we have too many people who like God hanging around, but love the idea of being rented.  If you are rented by Christ, you don't have the responsibilities the come with ownership.  You can call upon God when you need God.  God has an arms-length investment in you, and when something goes wrong, God can come in and fix it.  When the pipes burst, the dishwasher fails or the roof leaks, it is someone else's fault!  But you can still be owned by something or someone else.  While we can talk about this "tongue and cheek" I do have some bad news for the "wanna be" rented ... God doesn't rent.  If you want a rental arrangement, you must look elsewhere.

Second, God's Word expresses, again and again, that God wants an ownership arrangement with you.  Paul prays for God to have a home in your heart.  We have lots of songs about this like "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart." One of my favorites (I believe the oldest song in the hymnal) is "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence," which says, "Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand."  Where a renter's roots are shallow, an owner's roots are invested in the responsibility (financial, physical and security) of owning the home.  And the owner expects equity from the investment.

So there it is ... do you want an owner-arrangement or a rental-arrangement from God?  Are you down with God's full ownership, full investment and expectation of equity for what God has invested?  For God has paid the full price for you.  He gave His son.  He erased your indebtedness.  He provides care and security.  And He will never sell you out or leave you.  God wants your roots to go "way down deep into the soil of His marvelous love."  Randy