Today’s Reading: Joshua 14-17; Luke 17
Unclaimed property. Something that has come up to my attention in the last couple weeks is unclaimed property. Several years ago, some of my close colleagues had informed me about a website where there is unclaimed property for each state. This website is where you can find unclaimed rebates, checks, and money. This can be seen as a scam, but there are actually some instances where the government has money for you that has been made to you, but you have to claim it. I’ve actually looked at my unclaimed property and there are a couple of checks out there for $.25 off of $.50. I decided that it’s not worth the effort to get this unclaimed property.
In our first reading passage, there are several scenarios, in which the parcels of land that have been promised to the descendants of the Israel and they are being divvied up and parceled out. There are several instances of how to rightfully claim what has been promised to you. Each of these cases are were the promise has been delineated from before and the individuals assertively request the promise.
Caleb’s portion
“Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.””
Joshua 14:6-12 ESV
Let us remember the promises that have been made to use and faithfully and assertively request the fulfillment of the portion. God will allow us to be physically and spiritually ready to take the promise.
Daughters portion
“Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our brothers.” So according to the mouth of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh.”
Let us not forget that all of us are equally important and able to accept the promises. This was a major point in the allotment of the land. This land was given to the daughters as equal inheritance. Each person is given the opportunity to inherit all of the promises that God has in store for us. This shows how essential it is to know what you have promised and be prepared to receive the portion.
Both of these examples show us to know what has been portioned for us and not be ashamed or tentative about asking for the promise.
The last example of accepting our promise and acknowledging it is found in Luke 17.
“And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.””
In the midst of our every day struggles and strife, we forget about the “small miracles“ that happen to us on a daily basis. Sometimes the big things that happen to us are more profound that we really know. In this passage, Jesus performed an extraordinary blessing on the outcasted and forgotten individuals. The blessing was a true miracle. It took only a moment for the one to realize the change. He accepts the promise and rejoices. The others were blessed as well, but continued on the way they had been conditioned over the past.
Let us be able to acknowledge the blessings that happen to us daily and claim it. Let us also not forget the promises that have been bestowed upon us and assertively claim them.
Be blessed as we enter this HOLY WEEK.