As Neil and I prepare to get married, we keep getting asked: “what can we get you?” I have been really convicted that we are called to a life of possessing nothing. Not that we don’t need food, shelter, clothing... but to live as though things are not ours... and rather live with Christ “Reigning in us”. This has been on my heart for a long time… but I find myself pushing it into the back of my brain to deal with later. But lately God has been flashing it in my face wherever I turn. I’ve been reading from Tozer’s book, “The Pursuit of God” (you should read it), and he speaks of the blessedness of possessing nothing.– In the inside of man is a shrine where none but God is worthy to come – things are external to man, a thousand gifts which God showered upon us – our woes begin when God is forced out of his shrine and “things” are allowed to enter – men have then by nature no peace within their hearts – for God is no longer crowned there and things fight among themselves for first place on the throne – things grow roots into our hearts and become necessary to us, a development never originally intended. God’s gifts now take the place of God. I’m stoked to get wedding gifts but it scares me because I know that if I get a load of “things” they will grow roots into my heart and convince me I can’t live without them. The more I think about this the more it has shown up everywhere I look, in my own life and in my Christian community. We live in such a SICKENINGLY possessive society. When did “borrowing” things become obsolete? How many stupid gadgets do we own that we only use once in a while. If neighbours borrowed from each other more often think how much less one would have to own. It’s pretty ridiculous how reluctant people are to lend things out or borrow. Why don’t we separate ourselves from the trend of “needing” the latest ________ and the new _____ and all those THINGS. There is an unspoken rule that to be accepted in the western world “class” you must have A and B and C etc. because they are NEEDS. We do nothing against living excessive lives. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” The rich man couldn’t do that. He was too attached to his stuff. I DON’T want to be in his place. We tolerate the enemy of self-life and its chief characteristic is possessiveness - “gain” “profit” – “My and Mine”. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” – they are no longer slaves to the tyranny of “things” – “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
