1 John 3:17 - Our reading is the inspiration for the hymn, “We Give Thee But Thine Own.” How does
this hymn harmonize with our theme for today? It emphasizes our stewardship of
life and harmonizes with the Gospel with its emphasis on working in the Lord’s
Kingdom. How has the Lord blessed your life? How will you return a portion to
Him this coming week?
The many ways that God has provided for our needs are
apparent to anyone with eyes to see. God
created the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by
night. The sun warms the earth, making
it habitable. Its warmth causes seeds to
sprout in abundance, and plants respond to its light with a process called
photosynthesis, which is essential to our food supply. God gives us air to breathe and water to
drink.
The author of “We
give Thee but Thine Own” was William Walsham How (1823-1897), an Anglican
bishop. He was known as “the poor man’s bishop” because of his
concern for the poor—and “the omnibus
bishop” because he used public transportation rather than a private
carriage for travels around town.
Bishop How wrote a number of hymns that reflect his
concern for expressing the Gospel in terms that the average person could
understand. This hymn is a good
example. It speak of stewardship, not as
a church budget concern, but as acknowledgement of the blessings that we have
received from God.[1]
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