Observation: The Lord goes into quite a bit of detail about redeeming sold land. Effectively, if a person needs to sell their land, they may either redeem it at a later date, or have it returned to their family for free in the year of jubilee. This may sound unfair - after all, when a person buys something, they now own it, so why would they be forced to sell it back or even give it back for free? - but the Lord makes it clear why this is allowed. No one actually owns anything anyway, because it all belongs the Lord and everyone is just temporary residents on HIS land.
Application: Our church is in a financial crisis, and to a great degree it is because the people who attend our church just don't give. Their idea of giving is to maybe give $100 a month, maybe a couple thousand dollars a year. As a result, we are going broke fast. And it is this fact that is at the heart of the matter ... most do not understand that the Lord owns their money, their property, their homes, their cars, their appliances, and their land. Therefore, they resist the idea of ever giving a significant amount to the Lord.
Sure, I could give more. A tithe is the minimum. That said, I know all I have is the Lord's, on loan to me. I am just an alien living temporarily within the Lord's created earth. I do wish we all understood this better.
Prayer: Lord, our church strives to do your will, and to be a light in the community. Please forgive us all in the areas in which we are not faithful. Please help us all to mature in our faith and our understanding of you, so that we may do your will. And if we have found favor in your eyes in manner, may your resources be available to we may continue to do your work. They kingdom come. Amen.
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