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"Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying ... 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.'" (Matthew 5:1-2, 5 ESV)
If you're like me, you've heard a lot of jokes about the meek inheriting the earth. The jokes exist because there's definitely something strange here—people who are meek and humble in heart often lose things, because other, meaner people take them away from them!
But Jesus says very clearly that His promise will happen. The people who are gentle and humble in heart—who don't stomp over other people's rights, but treat others with care and concern—those people will inherit the earth. How can this happen? Only by inheritance.
If you inherit something, you aren't buying it, making it, or taking it by force. You aren't doing anything at all, really. Someone else has already done what's necessary to get whatever you're about to inherit. Then they die, and you receive the gift.
And that's exactly what has happened to us, isn't it? God made the world and all creation—Jesus redeemed it, especially us sinners (see Romans 8:19-24)—and the Holy Spirit made us God's children through faith in Jesus. Nothing is left but the death—Jesus' death and resurrection, by which He passed so many wonderful gifts to all of us, absolutely free of charge. We have done nothing—He has done everything. And so we will inherit the earth because of Jesus—yes, and forgiveness, joy, and new life forever as the people of God.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the inheritance You have given us. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on November 3, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
Reflection Questions:
1. When have you inherited something, big or tiny? What was it? From whom?
2. Name some of the many gifts you have inherited from Jesus.
3. Normally an inheritance is a mixed blessing because we have to lose someone to get it. What does it mean to you to have Jesus alive and well to share your inheritance with you?
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