The last question Paul asked about God in the Book of Romans chapter eleven is based on the sense that no one can lend or has ever given to God, that He should repay them. God doesn't need our financial help or material support to enable Him achieve anything or accomplish any project, no matter how eager we sometimes feel to do exactly that. As we walk with God, the only response that makes spiritual sense is to worship Him with our substance and receive His blessings upon our lives, in return.

Reference: Romans 11:34-36 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) For, 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor?' Or, "Who has given him anything and made him pay it back?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!'

The third question, "Who has given God anything and made him pay it back", simply means that God is not in need or in lack of anything, that we should give Him to repay us. God cannot be subjected to such bidding. No human being can place God under any obligation, so as to fall in within their view. We can't engage God with such mindset. It's an error. It also means that we can't put God in a box or force Him to categorize. We can't place Him in a particular group of transaction. Yes, there's nothing we can do about that - it's not going to happen.

Since we can't limit God or His way of thinking to human ways of transaction, God cannot owe us anything. He can never be indebted to us or be in our debt. Even in "giving anything to God", no matter how valuable our gift is, God already lacks nothing. Instead our gifts and offerings to God indicate our commitment to Him as a Deity and its for our own good, not His good. The Bible says in Psalm 50:7-12 (NIV): Hear, O My people, and I will speak...I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me. I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it." Beloved, did you grasp or understand God?

God owns everything in the universe because He created everything that be. He doesn't need to inform us if He needs anything. According to our Scripture reference, "For from him and through him and to him are all things." God does not eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats, though He's very much interested in your sacrifice as a thank offering to Him. He accepts our oblation because He is supreme Deity. So we must give our offerings and fulfil our vows to the Most High (see Psalm 50:13-14).

As a further matter, its important to note that anything offered in worship or devotion to God, whether its a holy gift offered at His altar or an offering in monetary value, we are not giving them to God that He should repay them. Far from it. So why do we give to God? First, its because we have His nature. God is a great giver. The Bible says in James 1:17 (NIV): "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Everything you have and everything you are going to give to God, came from Him because He first gave it to you.

Second, we give to God because we love Him and we live for Him. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (AMP) says, "For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake." Since we love God, we no longer live for ourselves, and since we share in His glory as heirs of His Kingdom (see also James 2:5), we can give everything or anything of value to Him because Christ's love controls us.

Beloved, none of us came into this world with anything. We all came and met everything God already created. And even though God owes us nothing, He has given us every good and perfect gift, including His only Son, Jesus Christ. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Genesis 49:25; 2 Samuel 7:13; Job 41:11; Matthew 20:15.

Exuberant Declaration: I serve the Almighty God who holds the dust of the earth in a basket, who weighs the mountains on the scales, and the hills in a balance. Everything in heaven and under heaven belongs to Him. Under my cheerful sense of submission to God, I revere His Majesty and acknowledge that the whole creation is at His disposal, fully sustained by His powerful influence. Blessed be God both now and forever, Amen!