Not Your Own
Read This Week: Leviticus 27
But nothing that a person owns and devotes to the Lord—whether a human being or an animal or family land—may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord. – Leviticus 27:28 NIV
Leviticus 27, the closing chapter of the book and our series on Greater Responsibility, shifts the focus from laws of holiness and worship to the deeply personal matter of sacred vows and dedication. It speaks of people, animals, homes, and land voluntarily set apart to the Lord and introduces the concept of redemption or the opportunity to buy back what has been vowed, though always at a cost.
This chapter reveals something profound to all of us and something we have learned throughout this study: whatever is devoted to God is not casual or temporary. When something is declared as belonging to the Lord, its value is redefined. The act of redeeming doesn’t negate the vow or promise; instead, it affirms that what is the Lord’s carries lasting significance and must not be taken lightly. And given that everything belongs to God, we must steward well and take seriously all that He has entrusted us with. It brings to mind the sovereign power and domain of God displayed in Psalm 24:1-2:
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
The idea of redemption in this section is not merely financial, though. It’s a spiritual reminder that returning something to our own use after giving it to God requires intentionality and sacrifice. In practical terms, this challenges us today about the commitments we make to God—our time, our resources, our service, our families, and careers. It’s easy to make spiritual promises in moments of passion, philanthropy, or gratitude, but Leviticus 27 teaches us that devotion should be deliberate, meaningful, and come with a cost. If we reclaim what we once devoted to God, our talents, our priorities, our focus, we must do so with humility and an awareness that these things are His in the first place. That is important when ordering and prioritizing our lives in a way that puts Him at the preeminent place of honor.
This chapter pointedly reminds us that everything we have ultimately belongs to the Lord, but when we choose to honor Him with it, its purpose becomes worship and glory to His name. The principle of redemption invites us to examine whether we are treating God’s portion with reverence or blending it back into ordinary life without thought.
Leviticus ends by teaching that holiness is not just about ritual; it’s about honoring the Lord in our commitments and about having a greater conscientiousness in our lives, actions, speech, and decisions as followers of Christ. To redeem what is the Lord’s is not to take it back for ourselves carelessly, but to recognize that even in redeeming them, the mark of faithfulness remains. Our lives, once offered to God, can never go back to being our own. Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
This is our greater responsibility.
Have you ever told someone you were going to do something—and then didn’t do it? Didn’t follow through? Didn’t live up to what you said you were going to do?
Have you ever done that with God? Maybe you even pleaded with Him. “Lord, if You rescue me, if You help me get out of this situation, if You do a miracle here, I’ll be in church. I’ll read my Bible. I’ll be a better Christian. I’ll tithe. I’ll serve You—Lord, if You’ll only…” And then… we didn’t follow through.
When we pledge something to God—or to others—it matters. Especially as Christians, our word should carry weight. We want God and others to be able to count on us, to rely on us, to depend on us, just as we depend on our Father. I never want to let my Father down. He’s been faithful to me, and I want my life to reflect that same faithfulness.
When God blesses me, I want to give out of gratefulness—out of acknowledgment of His goodness and greatness. I want His blessings to flow to me and through me to others. Sometimes I give to the church, and that’s giving to God directly. Sometimes I give or serve people one-on-one, and that’s still God giving through me. Either way, it’s all part of His flow—His generosity working through our lives.
Every blessing God gives is significant. What seems small is never small when it’s from Him. I couldn’t have done it without Him, and so my heart’s response is gratitude—giving back to God and blessing others because of what He’s done.
As believers, we need to remember: it all belongs to God. We are stewards, not owners. That means we dedicate, we bless, we give—and we keep our word. When we say we’re going to do something—whether for God or for others—we do it. If we’re not ready to follow through, it’s better not to make the pledge at all. That’s wisdom.
And as part of God’s family, we have a greater responsibility. We represent Him. We model His integrity. Our faithfulness becomes a reflection of His faithfulness to us.
1. Making Vows
When we make vows, we’re giving our word — not just to God, but to people. Our word should mean something again. A vow is a promise that carries weight. It’s an expression of integrity, a statement that says, “You can trust me.” When we say we’ll do something, we follow through. When we commit to someone, we show up. When we promise God our heart, our time, or our obedience, we honor it. Faithfulness in small things builds trust in big things. The power of a believer’s word should reflect the character of the God who never breaks His.
2. Dedicating What We Have
Everything we have is an opportunity to honor God — our time, our talents, our treasures, our homes, our families, and our work. Dedication means setting something apart for His purpose. When we dedicate our gifts to Him, the ordinary becomes sacred. Our homes turn into places of peace. Our work becomes worship. Our money becomes ministry. Dedication is how we keep our hearts from ownership — we give it all back to the One who gave it first. Whatever is surrendered to God multiplies in His hands.
3. It All Belongs to the Lord
Nothing we have is truly ours — we are stewards, not owners. Every blessing, every resource, every opportunity came from Him and belongs to Him. When we give, whether it’s through a tithe, an offering, or helping someone in need, we’re simply returning what’s already His. Ownership breeds pride, but stewardship breeds gratitude. When we live open-handed, God keeps those hands full. The moment we understand that it all belongs to Him, giving becomes joy — not loss. We stop clinging, and we start trusting.
This weekend, Leviticus chapter 27 I got a song
Walking
Oh Lord, we want to walk with you. Oh Lord, we want to walk with you everywhere we go trusting you with all things you are our provider. Everything is yours. We want to honor you and your ways because you have a purpose a plan for each of us, we are walking in your presence walking in your presence Helping others plant seeds helping others in many ways. We all have a special gift so let’s use it. serving our Lord serving our Lord
Amen
We should put God first serve him with a smile and a warm heart always asking what he wants us to do when serving him
PODCAST
This Week in the Life: Leviticus 27
For the best experience, we suggest you listen to the first song, the message, and then the second song.
1. Sunday Worship – First Song: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251019-worship1.wav
2. Sunday Message: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20261019-message.wav
3. Sunday Worship – Second Song: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251019-worship2.wav
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