Galatians 4:1
“Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything”.
The benefits of being a child of God are many. We are connected and loved by the greatest person possible. He directs our lives in a way that will bless us optimally. Will become our best selves with His enrichment. Today’s passage adds to that. It’s as if we are an heir of great wealth.
The Lord owns everything. Psalm 50:10 says, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.” All resources are at His fingertips. He wants for nothing.
Psalm 23 says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” He desires to provide for all our needs. Much of this is done through our partnership with Him. For example, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” He wants us to be independent and to be able to provide for ourselves. Independent of others, that is, not of Him. Working is a major way in which He blesses us.
Some would say, “God didn’t provide your income, you did.” We don’t understand all the workings that God does do. We owe our next heart beat to Him. Our health and opportunities may have come from Him. Our relationships may have come from Him. Our personalities and talents were from Him. It makes sense to generally thank Him, as His workings are greatly embedded in all that we are and do.
What is the wealth that we have access to? We’ve already addressed that God in conjunction with us fills our needs. Jesus says in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” He wants us to be happy and content.
How does this work? Not how we would think. Jesus hints at it in a paradoxical ways in Luke 17:33. “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” If we selfishly seek our own fulness, it will be illusive. However, as we follow Him and do as He says, we will discover that a byproduct of our obedience is fulness of joy.
Today’s passage says that at some stages, the child is unaware of their prized standing and the great things they will receive. That is true of the early times when we receive Christ. Some experience elation then while others feel very little. In time we see the collection of interventions the Lord has made in our lives. We realize how special each of us is. Everyone craves this. We want to feel special. God is big enough to make all the billions of us on earth to feel this way.
In time we begin to get a hint of our privileged position. I Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” We see in a mirror dimly, we start to see it. The great love and attention He pours out on us lifts us.
In Psalm 23 David speaks of several ways in which the Lord has blessed him: “I shall not want”, “makes me lie down in green pastures”, “leads me beside the still water”, “He prepares a table for me”, “I will not fear, Thou are with me”, “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me”, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. What a wonder. David got it. We will also as we follow Him and learn of Him.
It’s mysterious that anyone can have this great honor, as it’s not obvious. Jesus lived this mystery as He walked the earth and taught. God’s great offer is available to all. However He doesn’t want people to follow Him just for all the cool stuff. To accomplish this He taught in parables. These taught God’s truth is a cloaked manner. Isaiah 42:20 says, “Though seeing many things, you do not observe. Though your ears are open, you hear nothing.” The listener had to do some work to get it. The Lord aides us in this process.
Lord, thank You that we are Your children and that You’ve blessed us so. Thank You that You’ve given us eyes to see. Thank You that the longer we walk with You , the more we see and experience this great relationship.