April 13

God's Heritage In Humanity

But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance. — Deut 32:9 BSB

For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love — Eph 1:4 BSB

When we consecrate ourselves to God, we do not become His property for the first time; rather, we awaken to the reality that we have always been His. We begin to live as those who are not our own but have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Moses uses three beautiful symbols to describe God's care for His people in his song:

“He kept him as the apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10). Just as we instinctively protect our eyes from danger, so does God guard us. The eye is shielded by its bony socket, the eyelashes catch dust, and tears cleanse it from impurities. In the same way, God’s gracious protection shields our souls from the evils of the world, keeping us pure and safe.

“As an eagle” (Deuteronomy 32:11). When young eagles are ready to fly but hesitant to leave the nest, the mother eagle breaks up the nest, forcing them to take flight. If they falter, she flies beneath them, bearing them up until they can fly on their own. Similarly, God sometimes disrupts our comfortable circumstances to push us into new challenges, but it is for our good. Only through these experiences can we learn to soar on the wings of faith.

Divine leading (Deuteronomy 32:12). God leads us gently, as a mother teaches her child to walk, guiding our steps with love and care (Hosea 11:3-4).

The book of Ephesians gives us a list of blessings that God, our loving Father, lavishes upon us, like pearls on a string. His love is not fleeting but the fulfillment of an eternal purpose. He redeems us from sin, showers us with His grace, seals us with the Holy Spirit, and will one day present us before Him, without blemish, to His everlasting praise.

Prayer

What can I lack when I have You, who are all Good? Truly, the heart remains restless until it finds its rest in You alone. Amen.