Living Into the Inheritance

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Scripture

Luke 15:31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

Observation

The older son was frustrated with the party that the father was throwing for his returned brother. He saw this as such a waste and felt that his father was doing more for the other brother than he would for him. The sad truth was that he couldn’t see what he really had. Once the younger brother had taken his portion of the inheritance with him, everything that was left was the inheritance of this older brother. As far as the eye could see, it would all belong to him! Every day he lived and worked among the riches of his father’s household, enjoying everything that it had to offer and yet, he failed to appreciate its value. He was the heir to all that remained and as such, he had a right to use it. He could have thrown a party any time that he wanted with the fatted calf, he had simply not chosen to do so. Instead he was living within the limits of the boundaries of his own making.

Application

As children of the kingdom we are heirs of all that God has to offer. I’m afraid that too often we choose to live in spiritual poverty and complain about the abundance we see in the life of another.

I’m trying to imagine what it would be like if today, we began to live as children of the inheritance. All the resources of God are at our disposal and yet I’ll admit, far too often I forget to go to God for that which I need. I try to be self-sufficient, caring for daily needs and concerns on my own. The next thing I know, I’m like the older brother, complaining when I see God’s resources being utilized in someone’s life. Why would I complain? All the resources of the inheritance are available through Christ!

I am encouraged today to live into the inheritance. The older brother chose to live in a poverty of his own making. I don’t want to live in a spiritual poverty of my own making and so I must pray and ask for the Lord’s guidance in embracing the inheritance of the kingdom, utilizing his resources as we partner together in kingdom work. I believe that God wants to do abundantly more in and through us than we can ever imagine, but we must lean into our relationship with him and be good stewards of the inheritance.

Look around, open your eyes and ears and take in the Father’s world and all that it entails. May we never complain about our limited resources when we are children of the great inheritance.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to trust in you and the resources of the kingdom.  Amen.

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