Collections

Somehow I have ended up with too many collections. I started out liking some things and all of a sudden I had an abundance of things. I've received some lovely things as gifts. I purchased many of the things as souvenirs from travels or as memorabilia. So here I am getting quite old and I have all this stuff that I love but I don't need. Now what do I do?

I have collections of cookbooks, crosses, cobalt blue glassware items, teapots, pitchers, crosses, and of course: sheep. They take up lots of space which I happen to have room for in this house but what do I do if we downsize again. I'm hoping the grandchildren will speak up and say they would like some of my things when I'm gone.

Isaiah warns: "When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols, save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away," (Isaiah 57:13 NIV).

"To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind," (Ecclesiastes 2:26 NIV).

Both scriptures seem to convict me of gathering items and although I no longer feel possessive of the items I've collected, I was wrong to collect them all. They are things. Things I no longer need. Things that have become idols? I don't think they are idols to me but if collecting them makes them idols, then I am guilty. 

Lord, forgive me for choosing idols. Let me worship only You, God, and may these collections be only things of no richness or heavenly value. Help me to separate myself from these things. In Jesus' Name, Amen.