WOV #801, "Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise"
Devotion
One argument for good stewardship is that we're taking care of things that aren't really ours anyway. God is blessing us with nice homes, good income, a beautiful planet, satisfying relationships. When we freely give of our selves, our time and our possessions, we're trusting God to make the most of our gifts.
The problem with this argument is, it doesn't exactly offer an encouraging word to those whose fortunes have taken a downward turn. But wait — if everything belongs to God, doesn't that mean he shares in our suffering, our sadness, our despair, our pain too? Being good stewards also means freely giving those things back to God, and trusting that God will make the most of them as well. This hymn describes how we are to offer all things — from joy to supplication, from sorrow to alleluia — to our God.
Prayer
All that we have, O Lord, is yours. Take our hearts, our hands, and our minds and use them for your good pleasure. Amen.