The Lord's Portion
Reflection on Song of Moses (1) By YD AU Press
It seems that we are very familiar with the sentence "O Lord, you are my portion." In Psalm 73, the famous verse "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" is loved by thousands of believers.
When God talks about Levite, he didn't say "Levite has no share, for other tribes have to support him", but "That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance." When the Lord is confessed as our portion, we start to realize how rich we actually are when he has called us sons and daughters.
The moment when we are chased after, persecuted or crushed, we sing "O Lord, you are my portion" and we feel comforted.
However, it will be more amazing to realize that "we are the Lord's portion". In Moses' will he has sung: "For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance." (Deu32:9) For generations since the days of old, the role of God is not just a "provider" who gives the richness, but "Father" and "Creator" who has redeemed His people, taught them, distinguished them from nations and loved them deeply. In verses 10-14, a series of verbs "found", "shielded", "cared", "guarded", "catch", "carry", "led", "fed", "nourished" have shown how much this Father and Creator has loved His people. At the same time, this Father and Creator hopes his children to have the relationship with him, to love him and keep his Word.
The Lord has seen his people as his portion, his wealth; He has seen me as his portion, treasure and wealth. Who am I? And What value do I have? - We sinners who have no value are considered as precious and dearly loved by this God. My reply towards his love and my obedience to his Word is thought to be very important in his eyes.
Many psychological problems in this era are considered as the lack of self-esteem, thus treatment was invented to recall the feeling of self-importance in this society. In Bible, from the view point of creator towards creature, we find out the true importance in us. Holding onto "what does the Lord think important in my life", we will confess not only "the Lord is my portion" but "I am the Lord's portion", and moreover, we will stop chasing the eye of the world but love Him and keep his Word.
(Copyright © 2009 YD Australia)
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