August 5, 2017

CREATIVE, REDEMPTIVE STEWARDSHIP

Recap of Tribe Night - August 5, 2017

Since the very beginning, God has intended us to steward the ‘gardens’ of life he has given us. Whether that’s our households, our vocations, our relationships, or the big dreams God has given us, we are assigned to take care of them well. We are assigned to steward them, to manage them, and to let the life of Jesus living within us shine upon them bringing freedom, order, and creativity.

Taking dominion over something means we provide creative, redemptive stewardship. There is a life-giving way to manage our families, our businesses, and our dreams for the future. In Joshua chapter 7, Achan made the mistake of taking treasure that did not belong to him. Besides disobeying what God had said, Achan was storing up the means to take care of himself, instead of trusting God.

We have physical needs but we also have a God-given desire for meaning and significance. God designed us to matter.

But can we ensure these things for ourselves? God is calling us to a radical trust in his ability not only to meet our basic needs but to lead us to the glorious destinies set aside for us to enjoy. God alone can be trusted with these things.

Achan brought a curse upon the entire nation because self-reliance is a cancer that infects the whole body with the horrible idea that it is better to settle for ‘what I can get’ instead of relying on the Lord for ‘all he has in mind.’

What does God have in mind for you? Can you trust God for it? Can you trust him to show you what realms of this earth he has given you to creatively and redemptively take care of?

It may sound strange, but one way to step toward all God has for you is to focus on how to be a good friend to others. Learning that people are more important than things, ideas, or even destinies is a critical lesson in moving forward. In learning to be a good friend, we discard the mistake of crushing people around us under the weight of our passions and ideas.Without friends you will not accomplish all God has for you because God operates his dreams for your life in context of community.

Your destiny itself is a vehicle to bless others!