Our Inheritance

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:24, ESV)

If we have been adopted into the family of God, then we are His children. And if we are His children, Scripture tells us that we are heirs.

But heirs of what?

When Christians think about their inheritance, our thoughts naturally turn toward heaven. We think about eternal life. We think about the resurrection of the body and the new heavens and the new earth. We think about the end of suffering, sorrow, sickness, and death. We may think about seeing those believers we have loved who died before us.

All of these belong to the glorious future God has promised His people.

But they are not the greatest part of our inheritance.

God is.

That may initially sound strange. We ordinarily think of an inheritance as something a person receives from someone else. A father leaves his children money, property, possessions, or something else that belonged to him.

But Scripture sometimes speaks differently about God.

When God distributed the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Levi was treated differently. The Levites were not given a territorial inheritance like the other tribes.

God told Aaron why:

“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, ESV)

What an inheritance.

God did not merely say, “I will give you something.”

He said, “I am your portion and your inheritance.”

The same truth appears in the Psalms. Asaph looked beyond everything that could be possessed in heaven or on earth and said:

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25–26, ESV)

My portion forever.

The greatest gift God can give His children is not something He possesses.

It is Himself.

That does not diminish the other promises of our inheritance. It explains why they are glorious.

Why is the new creation wonderful? Because God will dwell there with His people.

Why is eternal life wonderful? Because it is eternal life with God.

Why is the resurrection wonderful? Because with resurrected bodies we will live forever in His presence.

Why is heaven wonderful? Because Christ is there.

Jesus prayed concerning His people:

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.” (John 17:24, ESV)

With me.

And when Scripture finally shows us the consummation of redemption, the great announcement from the throne is not primarily about golden streets, precious stones, or gates of pearl.

It is this:

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3, ESV)

Then, almost beyond comprehension:

“They will see his face.” (Revelation 22:4, ESV)

That is our inheritance.

No more death. No more mourning. No more crying. No more pain. Resurrection. Eternal life. A new creation. Fellowship with all the redeemed.

Wonderful beyond description.

But greater than all of them is the One who gives them.

The adopted children of God inherit God.

And we will enjoy Him forever.

Just a thought.