Life on Loan - Martin Wiles

But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?” Luke 12:20 NLT

A day’s plans can change in a moment.

Since we were a one-car family, my wife normally drove me to work. On one particular day, she let me drive. As I attempted to put the car in reverse, I heard a snap and then noticed the gear shift didn’t look quite right. It hung limply against the steering column. Within a couple of hours, a tow truck had taken it to the local Ford dealership, and I had called my mom to see if we could borrow her car.

I never questioned who owned the car I would temporarily drive. I didn’t treat it like mine because I knew I had to return it. I was more careful than usual with my driving and kept the inside and outside as clean as possible. Mom never said, “You can’t have this car,” but she didn’t have to. I knew it was on loan.

The rich fool forgot his life was on loan. He had a fertile farm that produced an abundant crop. He had money to build larger storage buildings to accommodate the overflow. He planned to sit back and enjoy life’s pleasures—until God interrupted his plans and reminded him his life wasn’t his own. 

While I don’t have the means to do anything I desire, adopting the same mindset as the rich fool comes easily. Life was about him and no one else. But life isn’t all about me. God loaned it to me. He created me in my mother’s womb and had a plan in place before my birth. One day, God will call for full repayment of the loan. I’ll stand before my Creator to give an account of how well I’ve cared for what He entrusted to me. Did I keep the inside and outside clean? Did I treat it selfishly or use it to do His work? Did I live like I thought I’d never have to return it to Him?

Our gifts, talents, and opportunities are not inherent or developed by chance. God has ingrained and loaned them.

Make sure you are using well what God has entrusted to you. One day, He’ll call for full repayment.

Father, may I always remember my life is on loan from You. 

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