May 16, 2023 – Reflections on “My Portion in Jesus!”
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6.
What does portion mean? It is a part of the whole. That which is assigned. My Mother wrote a book about the beginning of her family and quoted the sixth verse above in the beginning of her book, The Lines are Fallen!
Generations have gone by and yet, the Scripture of the Holy Bible remains strong and true, with the importance of ‘choosing’ has not diminished. God made His Choice to Love us. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:16-17.
Long ago, Joshua decided, encased in these verses: “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15.
Growing up, I did not know what a portion could be, but Mother taught me how to cut beautiful chocolate meringue pie equally in five pieces for the five of us in our family. One piece was larger than the others. I questioned Mom about who should get that piece. She quickly replied, “Give it to Dad!” When I remember that conversation so long ago, I marvel at her God-given wisdom.
In the time of Noah, sin had increased on the earth, as people turned away from God, except for Noah and his three sons. God gave instructions on how to build the ark. Noah didn’t try to help by thinking of different ways, but obeyed. After the flood, and the dry ground appeared, Noah was told, And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Genesis 9:1-3. I often wondered what being fruitful meant. Then I read the Fruit of the Spirit given through the Holy Spirit when Jesus had ascended into Heaven after His death by crucifixion. He is our sacrifice for the promises Jesus promised.
They all begin with LOVE. That is what God Is–Love! How do we begin to love? And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test Him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend on all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40.
Jesus decided, just before His Crucifixion. Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me.” And going a little farther, He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 29:38-39.
In His Word, God makes our choice clear: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5;16-17.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-24.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2.
Endurance means never giving up our faith in God and trusting Him in all things. When difficulties arise, ask, What is God teaching me? Meditate on His Word day and night. This is God’s World.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…” Matthew 6:9-10.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21.