Wednesday 13 July 2011

what an inheritance!

Do you ever think about your inheritance? Do you ever wonder about what the future holds for you, and what you may have left to you in the future? Will I have enough money to live? Will I have a home, an income, provision of things that you need?

I am sure we all think about it. We may see people who are left a large inheritance. Who maybe have wealthy family or are an only child who will inherit everything. We may see injustices where some family members get a lot and others nothing at all. Or, we may just leave it in the hands of the Lord, and not give it much thought!

However, in my daily readings today, I came across a verse that really puts things into perspective. It's found in Joshua 13:33

"But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them."

All of the children of Israel had conquered the land of Canaan, after many battles, with the Lord giving them the victory. The land was being divided between all of the tribes, all of them being given their allotted portion of inheritance. However, the Levites were those chosen to be the priests - those in the Lord's service. They were not given any land - no inheritance for them. No place to inhabit and occupy as "Levitical" land. nothing to pass down through the generations, family to family.

However, look at what THEIR portion was! The other tribes got allotted portions all over the country. Who wants large portions of land? Who wants productive soil, where crops can be grown and money made? Who wants a house by the seaside, where trading can be done? Who wants any of these things, when the Lord God of Israel is your inheritance?!

How that puts things into perspective for me! I have the Lord as my inheritance. I have a Heavenly Father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He clothes the lillies and feeds the sparrows. How much more will He care for ME?

"Therefore I say unto you, 

Take no thought for your life, 

what ye shall eat, 
or what ye shall drink;

 nor yet for your body, 

what ye shall put on. 

Is not the life more than meat, 
and the body than raiment? 

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;......

 yet....

your heavenly Father feedeth them.     Are ye not much better than they?


Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field,   
how they grow; 
they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, 

That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, 
which to day is,
 and to morrow is cast into the oven, 
shall he not much more clothe you, 
O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? "  Matthew 5:25-31

The Levites were given a place of service.  That was their priority.  Not working the land - not building up money or status.  Simply serving.  What a privilege!

And the verse that follows on from that portion in Matthew sums it up, I think.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

We are to simply serve.

Seeking the things of God.

 Not the best paid  job.
  
Not the biggest house.  

Not the nicest clothes.  

Not the best pension package.  

Simply, the kingdom of God.

God's righteousness.

Things spiritual.

Not temporal.....

and then what?  What about all my temporal needs...surely they are of SOME importance?

"....and ALL these things SHALL be added unto you...."

If we seek His kingdom first.

The Lord...our inheritance....and WHAT an inheritance.

Praise God!

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