“And the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.’” – Numbers 18:20
The priests and Levites didn’t receive permanent land in the promised land. They weren’t to receive family property that would secure their livelihood for generations or build their earthly wealth. Instead, they were receiving something infinitely greater – the Lord Himself. He is their portion and inheritance. Their unique privilege was being near to Him and being able to devote themselves to His service. They got to experience more of the fullness of His glory. And had the experience of being provided for by Him through the giving of God’s people. Their inheritance was deeper dependence on God and the faithfulness of His people.
To materially-minded people, this might not seem like a good gift. For those who recognize the infinite greatness of God, it’s infinitely more precious than having land, crops, and earthly wealth. To be able to dwell in the presence of the Lord. To live in utter dependence on Him and to see, on a daily basis, His unlimited capacity to provide, that’s a blessing beyond compare!
Here’s the thing…. For followers of Jesus, we’re in exactly this same situation. We have no guarantees on earth. We may prosper financially or we may struggle terribly. We may have much or we may have little in the eyes of the world. None of that compares to what we actually have in Christ, if we’re willing to embrace the truth and delight in it. For those who have entrusted their lives to Jesus, we have the Spirit of God living in us. Christ is in us and we are in Him. God IS our portion at all times. He is our inheritance that never ends. Never gets lost. Never gets stolen or ruined. Not here on earth. Not in heaven. Not in the new heaven and the new earth.
Every follower of Jesus is a priest. Regardless of what we have in an earthly sense, we all have God in us and with us. If Jesus is your Lord, then Lean into this truth. Meditate on it. Pray and praise God for it. Sit with it. Let this reality empower you for faithful service. Let it drive you to pursue the holiness that is yours in Christ. Come to understand how much greater and more wonderful what you have in Christ is than anything else you could ever have on earth. He is your portion and your inheritance! #FollowJesus