Your Portion

God has unique gifts for you alone. You are not a number, nor lost in the crowd. Consider the gifts God has given you and how you can use them to serve Him.

“The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them. When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. You must be blameless before the Lord your God."

Deuteronomy‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭9‬, ‭13‬-‭14‬, ‭17‬, ‭19‬

When you read through scripture you hear of the promised land. The place where people receive from God their inheritance as children of Abraham. God promised Abraham that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars and that He would give them a land flowing with milk and honey. Sounds nice! How would you describe what you envision as a promised land? Where is God leading you?

Imagine being at the reading of a will and everyone is given great financial blessings. Then imagine you hear the executor say that your portion is not financial, but spiritual. How would you feel? The Levites, the very people who daily serve God are told that they do not get any of the land. They will own nothing. Their portion is the Lord. Do you think they drew the short straw?

Imagine a life where you did not have any resources in your own name, but only had what the Lord gave you each day. Is that sufficient for you? Would you be excited? There is a truth that emerges as we learn more about the promised inheritance of the Levites that reveals that what they received was the best blessing one can have.

“The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence."

Psalms‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭3‬, ‭5‬-‭7‬, ‭13‬

David sings a song unlike other kings. The king rejoices in the true King. He does not exalt himself nor declare how great he is. He praises the God who has given him everything. He takes stock of his portion and he gives thanks to God. The God who took him from the lowest in his family, a shepherd boy, to the throne. Along the way he has seen how God gave him all the desires of his heart as he sought the Lord alone.

The truth is that our portions are all meant to lift us up and glorify God. Our gifts are never meant for just us, but to be stewarded in such a way that others praise the Giver of the gifts. God richly blessed David knowing that he would use his gifts of leadership to help his people and to sing praises that helped people trust God. How are you stewarding what you have been given to glorify God who gave you everything?

“The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives. The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. To answer before listening— that is folly and shame. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” ‭‭

Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭7‬, ‭10‬, ‭12‬-‭13‬, ‭21

Solomon says the tongue has the power. It really does, doesn't it? It has the power to praise and the power to paralyze. It can declare God's glory and it can degrade God's treasured possession, His people. Is the tongue a gift? Is it a curse or a blessing?

Solomon says how you use your gifts will make all the difference. He compares and contrasts those who are wise and those who are foolish. He says that fools ensnare themselves and cause their own downfalls. He says that if you use your words to build up your own pride or to harm people, things will not go well. Solomon says it is better to learn to listen. How have you used your words this day, week, month?

Solomon shares truth. We get to choose how we use what we have been given. Moving beyond the negative ways you can use your tongue, consider the opportunity we have each day to build up others, bring unity, and be the mouth of Jesus to others speaking the messages of grace, hope, faith, and love. Who could you help encourage today? ‬

“These are the tribes, listed by name...Dan will have one portion...Asher will have one portion...Naphtali will have one portion...Manasseh will have one portion...Ephraim will have one portion...Reuben will have one portion...Judah will have one portion...Benjamin will have one portion...Simeon will have one portion...Issachar will have one portion...Zebulun will have one portion...Gad will have one portion...This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Sovereign Lord...Bordering the territory of Judah from east to west will be the portion you are to present as a special gift...The special portion you are to offer to the Lord...This is the best of the land and must not pass into other hands, because it is holy to the Lord...And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.”

Ezekiel‬ ‭48‬:‭1‬-‭35

Ezekiel reiterates the message of Deuteronomy that each person, each tribe, each nation has a specific portion from God. God very clearly lays out the hands that He deals and what each person is to receive. One interesting note is that He gives to the tribe, not just the individual. In our world, people love to hoard individual possessions, but God wants us to think beyond ourselves. How would it change how you feel if you realized that where you are is not an accident, but part of God's plan as He gives you your portion? How would it help your heart to see what you have been given as something that is meant to bring unity to the community and bless others?

Ezekiel shares a secret. The best portion is what is given to those who serve the Lord. Every tribe receives something that is temporary, but those who serve the Lord receive the eternal. Which would you rather have? A blessing for this life or a blessing for now and forever? Consider rethinking the desires of your heart and how it is a blessing to be called one who serves the Lord God.

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all...to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. So Christ himself gave...to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ...Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander...Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” ‭‭

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭7‬, ‭11‬-‭13‬, ‭22‬-‭27‬, ‭29‬, ‭31‬-‭32‬

What does it mean to you to live a life worthy of your calling? One of the challenges many people can face in life is feeling worthy. Feeling good enough. The enemy loves to break down your identity as a child of God by trying to make you feel unworthy. It is important to learn what the word worthy is in the original Greek. This word does not mean deserving. It does not mean capable. It comes from the Greek word axios, which is where we get the word axis. Paul is saying life a life centered in Christ. Live in such a way that all things revolve around Jesus as your portion, your inheritance, your everything. Paul is not trying to measure your performance, he is calling you to a life of devotion that is centered in Christ. How centered are you in Christ? More importantly, what could you remove or move to make your life more centered in Christ.

Paul says the gifts that you have been given are to equip you for the works of service that build up the body of Christ. Why are you given the Holy Spirit? So that you can build up the body of Christ and do the work that your loving Savior has prepared in advance for you to do. What are stumbling blocks? The same thing that Solomon warns about in Proverbs. Paul says evaluate how you are using your tongue. It has the power of life and death. Paul says get rid of the ways that you are talking that are harming your relationships because everything you have been given is so that you will build up the relationships in your life.

Following Jesus is not a life of avoidance. It is not just about avoiding the things that are sinful or harmful. Paul knows that following Christ is living for a higher calling. A life of impact and purpose. So Paul speaks the truth. He says be kind, compassionate, and forgive.

What would happen if every word you spoke was spoken with kindness, out of a heart of compassion, with full commitment to always forgive at all times. How would that change your life? Would it free you of offense and equip you to better utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to be who God made you to be? Yes! Today is a day to give thanks to the Giver of all gifts and to invite the Holy Spirit to guide in how to best use those gifts to build up the body of Christ for the glory of God.