It must have been 20 years before my mom died that she called all her children together and said that each of us had to choose what we wanted, because she didn’t want us fighting about who gets what after her death.
We were quite shocked at this, not understanding why she was doing this. But starting with the eldest, each of us got a chance to choose until all the valuable items got a new owner for the day when my mom would no longer be with us. Everything was listed and added to her testament.
This was actually a very good idea of my mom, because the day she died the testament showed who got what – with no arguments. So many families are destroyed because the testament was not in place. But that’s another story.
In the same way, a testament was drawn up between God and humans concerning Jesus’ life. It wasn’t the first one. God entered into the first one with the Israelites via Moses. 18Even the first plan required a death to set it in motion. 19After Moses had read out all the terms of the plan of the law-God’s “will”-he took the blood of sacrificed animals and, in a solemn ritual, sprinkled the document and the people who were its beneficiaries. 20And then he attested its validity with the words, “This is the blood of the covenant commanded by God.”
However, this testament became obsolete and God decided to draw up a new one that would include Jesus. It was a simple testament that stated exactly who would get what when Jesus died – almost like my mom’s list.
The difference is that everybody gets the same in Jesus’ testament. Everybody gets a chance to go to heaven without having to work for it themselves. All of us who’ve accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour, are all heirs. And what do we inherit? The testament says what we inherit.
But my mom had to die for her list and testament to come into effect. In the same way, Jesus also had to die for a brand-new testament to come into effect. Blood is very important to God and, therefore, Jesus’ blood had to flow before we could enjoy the fruit of the new testament.
We know what we are going to inherit one day. There’s no argument about this. But the question is how does this affects our lives? Do we live differently because our inheritance has been sorted and we know what it is?
Yes, we have to live differently. We have to live in such a way that others want to know why we’re so different. Then we can tell them about the huge inheritance that we’ll receive one day and that it’s available to them too. Then we are living our calling.
May this be true for each and every one of us.
Scripture
Hebrews 9:18-22
Reflection
What does your inheritance do to you?
What makes it different?
What does it do to the people around you?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for my inheritance! Thank you that I no longer have to walk around with a heavy burden of sin. I’m free! Help me to live like a son that has inherited, and not like a slave. Help me understand the full meaning of my inheritance. In Jesus’ Name, amen.