October 21 – The land that has always been ours

“The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it permanently.”  (Psalm 37:29 HCSB)

The history of the Israelites is marked with many wanderings in the desert in search of their promised land.  Abraham had to travel over one hundred and fifty miles to be led by God to the land of Canaan.  Later Jacob had to run back to Abraham’s family home to hide from his angry brother Esau, and only years later took the long arduous trek back to Canaan to make peace.  Joseph was captured and hauled away as a slave to Egypt and his brothers and father had to travel there to find food to sustain them during a famine.  Years later, Israel was exiled and taken as slaves to Babylon because they had rejected God and treated Him with disdain.  The land had always been theirs since the time of Abraham, but too many times sin, selfishness and a lack of trust in God removed them from that beloved place.

In the same manner, there is a promised land for us all – a life of victory and abundance of joy that was purchased for us on the cross by the Lord Jesus.  Eventually we who are true believers will all enter into the Kingdom of Heaven when our lives on this earth are over.  But that is not what this verse is about.  God is promising us our inheritance today, and inheritance of all His promises coming true in our lives, where we will dwell permanently and not have that land stolen from us or invaded by enemies.  The requirement in this promise, is that we be righteous.

If you feel like you often find yourself just about to reach your promised land and then it seems to be snatched away time after time, see if you are living a life that God would consider to be righteous.  Clean your heart, remove any stumbling blocks or opportunities for the devil to rob you again.  This promise is for you to be settled and safe in the land that He already promised you.  Don’t be like the people of Israel in their beautiful land flowing with milk and honey, who lazily forgot the One who was their protector and provider, and ended up losing it all.  But even if you have already committed those mistakes, you can begin right now to honor God above all with your life.  Repent and change, and see how soon that land will be restored to you.  It has always been meant for us, but it’s up to us to decide that we will live in a manner worthy of such a wonderful inheritance.