Friday, November 23, 2012

God is our portion

Pam Padgett ... teacher

Psalm 17:7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. 8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. .... 13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. 15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

While considering what we're told here I was reminded that our portion is not of this world.  Rather, we treasure that God has chosen us to be His children and cares for us, delivering us from our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, giving us His Spirit to lead and guide us according to the word of God as we live on this earth, and conforming us to His image.

Unlike those whose portion is of this world, God is our portion now and forever.  

Psalm 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

As those who went before us in the faith, we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth, believing by faith that this earth is only a temporary dwelling place for us and that God has prepared a better place for us after this life.  Our hope is not in things of this world, but in that which is to come ...

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.