With the Lord I Am Rich!
This devotion is provided by WELS Congregational Services.
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.Psalm 15:5,6
Can you say these words and mean it? King David penned these words about the coming Lord but could say it about his life too. They can be yours, no matter how you feel or what life is throwing at you. Jesus stared at the coming cross where he would bear the sins of the world. David stared at the results of his many mistakes, the difficulties of ruling over Israel and Judah, and the coup attempts by two of his offspring.
What difficulties confront you? Is it health worries, money trouble, family strife, or uncertainty at work? They are not your end just as the cross was not the end for Jesus. The cross was the price paid for our forgiveness and where Jesus changed our eternal home address from hell to heaven. Our inheritance dropped into our eternal bank account when Jesus rose from the grave. We can say with David, “Surely I have a delightful inheritance!”
In his mercy, God fulfilled his promise to us. You are a forgiven child of God by his grace through Christ Jesus. You are rich! Jesus ascended into heaven, received the crown as King of kings, and still rules and cares for us today. David looked past the troubles of his life, knowing they were temporary because of God’s promises. He had joy and contentment knowing the Lord made him rich, “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.”
We can say the same. Our riches lie in what God has promised, what Jesus has accomplished, and what we have waiting in heaven. The Lord gives each of us our daily bread and so much more. “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.”
Knowing we are truly rich in the Lord gives us confidence and security as we give to the Lord and manage our money. It takes our sinful complaints, doubts, excuses, and fear to the cross to be washed away in Jesus’ blood. At the empty tomb, the Lord reminds us that he takes care of us, keeps his promises, and rules all for us. He brings us joy and contentment no matter what we face. “We have a delightful inheritance.” That is true in heaven. But it’s also true now.
Manage his gifts confidently as a wise manager—one who knows how truly rich Jesus has made them. We can surely say, “With the Lord I am rich!”