“Moses did not assign any land to the tribe of Levi. Instead, as the Lord had promised them, their inheritance came from the offerings burned on the altar to the Lord, the God of Israel” (Joshua 13:14 NLT).
Tell me, if you were of Levite descent, would you have been satisfied not having a piece of the Promised Land to call yours? Would you have been content receiving the leftovers from the altar of sacrifice? Would you have been happy receiving all you’d ever have from the generosity of others? If your standard of living was based upon people’s obedience and offering to God?
Maybe—some of you mumble.
No—a few of you honestly answer.
I might, for a while—several of us say in a very low voice.
Yes? Did I hear anyone say, yes?
For the Levites, it wasn’t a matter of them choosing, it was a choice made for them based upon their lineage. And, God’s people or not, I’m sure they had the same responses to His decision.
Some days their inheritance was tremendous. After an especially bountiful harvest, a plundering of a nearby town or a revival of the nation—boy, did the tribes bring in the loot.
Some days, their inheritance (or lack of it) caused them to scrape crumbs out of the bottom of the barrel. A dry spell in giving. A time of sinful living. Months and years when the chosen people of God decided to go their own ways, instead of going His.
And back to you. If God were all you had, might you be content? If the praises your Savior received were all the praises you’d get, would you be satisfied? If, at the end of the day, the worship you bestowed upon your Creator was all He got, would the surplus carry you through until tomorrow’s opportunity to serve Him?
A person mustn’t get to the proverbial end of her rope to realize He’s all we have. He is our inheritance. What are we doing to invest wisely and soundly into the fund He has set up in our names?
Malinda Edgell
Illinois
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that God would give Tim and Lydia Awtry open doors for sharing as they minister in Svishtov, Bulgaria.
