Candlish on Creature-Comfort Stewardship
Robert Smith Candlish discusses the proper approach to the use of creature-comforts (Studies in Genesis; Genesis 1.1) [I]f, on the instant when we were about to use, as we have been wont, any of the creatures of God provided for our accommodation, God himself were to appear personally present before us, and were to say, Son—Daughter—I created this thing which you are about to use—this cup of wine which you are about to drink, this piece of money that you are about to spend, this brother or sister with whom you are now conversing—and I testify this to you, at this particular moment—I, your Lord and your God—I created them—such as they are—for those ends which they are plainly designed to serve;—would we go on to make the very same use of the creature that we intended to make? Or would not our hand be arrested, and our mouth shut, and our spirit made to stand in awe, so that we would not sin?