On Loan

For a while I'd been contemplating upgrading to an iPhone. I'd had the same little pink Motorola Razr for several years now, and while it was still functional, I wanted something that did more than just make and receive calls.

As I do with most major purchases, I proceeded to read all I could about it. I consulted friends who had iPhones and picked their brains about the pros and cons. I researched data plans. I crunched the numbers and determined that I could indeed afford it.

One night a couple of weeks ago, I found myself praying about whether or not to go ahead with the purchase. I sensed God saying to me, "It's okay to get it--go ahead and enjoy it. Just remember, it and everything else you have will one day be ashes and dust. It's all going to fade away."

Talk about a reality check. How easily I can get wrapped up in worrying about material things that one day are going to be gone. And how soon I forget that they ultimately belong to God, anyway. So I'm trying to view possessions from the perspective of just being on loan to me temporarily, and to not get so worked up and anxious about them.

I needed that reminder again this morning, when I found myself dealing with an overflowing toilet. Despite my best amateur plumbing efforts, I had to call in a professional (and ended up missing church as a result). I H-A-T-E-D shelling out a lot of money for a repair that took ten minutes, but I reminded myself that this house, this toilet and this checkbook all belong to God.

I've heard it said that the best way to receive gifts from God is with an open hand, open to receive but also open to give back if and when God chooses. And so while I'm enjoying my new iPhone, I'm trying to remember that it's not really mine. It's just a loaner.