Todays Reading Joshua 13; Proverbs 13
Over the last couple of weeks and months, I have been matured in my understanding of life and death on a major scale. I have recently changed areas of pharmacy practice from community pharmacy to hospital pharmacy. In this transition I have witness the transition from life to death on several occasions. This has made me mature emotionally and spiritually and reflect more on future planning. What is the inheritance plans for my family? What are the plans that my mother and father have for their end of life? What is the portion that will be given to my wife and children? These thoughts have lead to some interesting and challenging conversations with my family, but this communication it is needed to understand the wishes of the individual.
As we read Joshua 13, we are presented with the inheritance of Israel’s sons; Reuben, Gad, and Joseph’s son, Manasseh (half of the tribe). The detail of the land East of the Jordan is difficult to imagine without having traveled in it for forty years. I have to imagine that the people were very aware and knew exactly what they were receiving. This is the land that the people had inhabited for the past forty years. They knew the ins and outs of the fields, streams, and mountains. They knew the food sources and the dangers of the land. The people were satisfied with the portion that they had claimed. They knew their inheritance and had tasted the fruits of the land.
We have to go back to see the inheritance of these two and a half tribes to get a better understanding of the promise and the inheritance from both Jacob and Moses: Genesis 49: 3-4, 19, 22-26 and Deuteronomy 33:6,13-17,20-21. The tribes had amazing blessing bestowed upon them by Jacob on his deathbed. They knew that they would possess great portions of the Promised Land and they chose to declare their portions before they knew the fullness of their reward. These verse have echoes of the the Prodigal Son.
How many times have we been promised something and not allow the fullness to be manifested? How many times have we pushed for something and the timing was not aligned with God? How much have we lost ourselves in the immediate satisfaction, instead of deferring the gratification? I have been the in each of these scenarios at different times in my life, but now I choose to allow God to reveal the greater reward than the one that is easily perceived.
Holy Father, Thank you for being the portion of my eternal inheritance. Thank you for your peace of spirit and clarity of understanding that allows us to not settle for the easy or quick reward. Thank you for empowering us to continue on to see the fulfillment of your Promise. Amen