Tuesday's slice of bread

A weekly post premised on this: Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord (Prov. 16:20)

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Location: Florence, Kentucky, United States

married to my best friend, writer, teacher, avid reader, occasional poet, volunteer

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Inheritance
Perhaps like me you have been on both sides of inheritance, receiving it  and planning on leaving it.
What goes into inheritance?  Well, first of all there is the matter of having something to leave to someone.  I can want to give something special to someone, but unless I own it, I can't.
Then too there is the matter of a relationship.  I get messages from total strangers promising me a share of inheritance, if...  I disregard those and trash them.  When I learned of an inheritance from someone I knew, I followed through.  I didn't expect the gift, so that made it all the more significant.
Usually someone has to witness a will to make it valid--commonly two some ones--and then someone is named to execute the document.  But no one gets an inheritance unless the person who has willed it dies first.
What does God possess that He can will?  Eternal life.
What relationship is required to receive an inheritance from Him?  Adoption as sons and daughters.
Who has witnessed His will?  God the Son and God the Spirit.
Who executes it?  God the Spirit.
Whose death has made it valid?  God the Son.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to the kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.  In Him you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:3-14).
However great their value may appear to be, inheritances in this life are nothing compared with this inheritance.
Peter wrote:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God and through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).

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