I know someone who went to their mailbox one day and discovered that he was being sued. Normally this might seem like bad news, but not this time. He was not being sued for anything that he had said or done, nor was the suit filed to take anything that he had. Instead this lawsuit informed him that someone wanted to claim his portion of an estate that he didn’t even know belonged to him.
Sometimes you find out what is yours in the most interesting ways. The flip side is also true. It might surprise some of us to discover that what we think belongs to us isn’t ours at all.
- For the Lord's portion is his people.
Deuteronomy 32:9 NIV
Perhaps you know someone who considers themselves a “self-made man.” Or maybe you have pulled yourself up by the proverbial bootstraps to be the person you are today. You might be surprised to learn that you are not your own. You belong to God (and so do I). How is this so?
First, we are God’s by His sovereign choice. We do not belong to God because of any choice we have made. God decided to pour out His mercy and love upon us apart from any act of righteousness on our part. God determined to demonstrate His love for us while we were still sinners—still God’s enemies. God chose us to be his very own even before the world began. His was a choice motivated by His great love for us.[1]
We also belong to God because He purchased us. The price has been paid in full—God didn’t buy us on credit with a balance due. It was not with perishable things like silver and gold that we were bought, but with the precious blood of Christ. Jesus bears the scars to prove that He made full payment for us.[2]
We also belong to Christ by conquest. Satan held us captive to sin. We were sin’s slaves. But Jesus has set us free. Satan has been disarmed and his authority is broken by the cross of Christ. Now we are led by the Lord as trophies of His grace in a victory parade.[3]
I for one am glad that I belong to Christ. No suit can be filed to take me away from Him. I have nothing to fear because God will take care of what belongs to Him. What do you think?
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[1] See: Titus 3:5; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 1:4
[2] See: 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1Corinthians 6:19-20
[3] See: Galatians 3:22; Romans 6; Colossians 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 2:14
1 comment:
Although I know that the meaning of the scripture is accurate...I am put off by the imagry created by being "purchased", "property", and definately"trophies". I understand, how these words are intended in scripture, but the image they usher forth in my mind is a poor one....I much prefer to think of the Lord as sacrificing his blood out of love for ME to save ME from an eternity of hell, so that I could become a member of His family in eternity in heaven....not a trophy to be paraded in front of satan. So, it is probably just me, but, I chose to see the love invested in the sacrifice made by Christ and not the conquest of Satan thus the "prize" meaning us....as "trophies" that makes me feel dehumanized.
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