THE INHERITANCE

 

NOVEMBER 2

THE INHERITANCE

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed
1 Peter 1:4, 5

 
Heaven is called an inheritance, 

  because it comes to us by heirship. 

Being born of the Spirit,

   we are all the children of God; 

   and if we are God's children,

   then heirs, heirs of God, and 

   joint-heirs with Jesus Christ!

What a glorious inheritance must this be.

Meditate upon it, O my soul! 

It is incorruptible. 

It will endure forever; 

  no part of it is subject to decay. 

It is undefiled. No one can acquire it dishonestly;

   no one can soil it by sin. 

It is beyond the reach of change and decay. 

Its glory is ever new.

The plants on that inheritance, know no winter.
The sun never goes down.
It is always in full perfection.

The noblest production of God's power,

  it will stand out in bold relief from his other works, 

  as the paragon of excellence.

It is the portion of his children,

  the dwelling-place of the Lamb 

  and his glorified bride.

The reward given to Jesus, for his agonies and death. 

There the Lord God will dwell among his people. 

The tabernacle of God will be with us.

But description is impossible, for the powers of conception fail.
Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man,
 the things which God hath prepared for them that love him

 
However great our sufferings here,

  and they may be exceedingly great; 

  yet when the apostle compares them 

  with this inheritance, he says, 

     "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time

       are not worthy to be compared with the glory 

        which shall be revealed in us." 

What! O what, will that glory be!

We must possess — it to know it;

   we must be actually in it,

     to adequately speak or write of it.

Tried Christian, however poor now, however tried now,

  thou art heir to an eternal inheritance, 

   which comprises the unsearchable riches of Christ;

    therefore, suffer patiently, and hope to the end!

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Colossians 1:12

 JAMES SMITH 1869