Appreciating God’s Ownership of Us
1 “To Jehovah your God belong the heavens, even the heavens of the heavens, the earth and all that is in it.” (Deut. 10:14) This statement makes it evident that mankind is owned by God. Furthermore, Jehovah provided by the death of his Son a ransom price for all the offspring of Adam. When we acknowledge God’s ownership of us and hold true to it, exercising full faith also in the sin-atoning value of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are enabled to come into possession of something. (John 14:6) What? We are enabled to come into possession of a wonderful relationship with Jehovah and his Son by dedication and water baptism. Many are the joys and blessings that this brings. We enjoy the forgiveness of our sins, the favorable hearing of our prayers and the hope of unending life in God’s grand new order.
2 Do we daily live our lives in recognition of God’s ownership of us? Do we individually show by our ‘seeking first God’s kingdom and his righteousness’ that we really belong to Jehovah, that we are his to use as he sees fit? (Matt. 6:33) Do we follow our God-given exemplar, Christ, continually and without letup, allowing his pattern to control our lives?—Matt. 16:24, 25; 1 Pet. 2:21.
3 While we recognize that the pattern Christ set involves many things necessary to having God’s approval—our moral behavior and attitudes, our being no part of the world, and so forth—yet certain things were emphasized in the pattern that Christ set. For example, as we consider Matthew 28:19, 20, we discern the emphasis that he placed on the preaching and teaching of the good news of God’s kingdom.—Rev. 12:17.
4 Holding true to God’s ownership of us has meant great changes in our lives and in the way we spend our time. Very commendably, for example, many of God’s people have looked for ways to simplify their lives, perhaps by moving into smaller quarters once their children were raised so as to devote more time to Kingdom interests, or by moving to serve where the need is greater. Are such changes possible for you? Others have become regular or special pioneers, Bethelites, missionaries, circuit or district overseers. (Heb. 12:1) These changes were made because serving Jehovah is in itself a pleasure, as is helping someone else to experience that happiness.—Acts 20:35.
5 Not all of us are in position to enter these fields of full-time service, but have we made changes, endeavoring not to allow secular employment, recreation or other interests of any kind to interfere unduly with our privileges in the continuous following of Christ? When we give Jehovah exclusive devotion and then do what we are actually able to do, in accord with our circumstances and situation in life, we may be assured that Jehovah is pleased with us, who are his servants and possessions.—Prov. 27:11.
6 Holding true to God’s ownership of us involves our whole life—the way we live our lives in obedience to all of God’s commandments, our attendance at Christian meetings, regularly praying to our heavenly Owner, and our having as full a share as possible in spreading the good news of God’s kingdom, following the pattern of Christ.—John 3:16; 13:17.
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Holding True to God’s Ownership of Us.