"But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He promised them." (Joshua 13:33 NIV)
I found unexpected encouragement in Joshua’s land allocations this morning. All the tribes are listed, along with their designated land divisions, except the Levites were not given an allotment. This notable because land was the big promise for God’s people, dating all the way back to Isaac. Here they are at fulfillment day and the Levites were left without, or so it seems.
Land was a long-term gift and designed to bless generations. The national law given in Leviticus 25:13 barred against the permanent sale of Jewish soil. These instructions designated that land would be passed on to children and grandchildren and far beyond for thousands of years.
God’s design makes so much sense when we consider the geographical location of Israel. It is a small country and a land bridge between three continents: highly sought after and fought over. It would be easy to have neighbors encroach or to lose land to tempting financial offers. As my dad always said; “There’s no more land, Anna. The prices will only continue to rise.” We are sure seeing that today, aren’t we?
God placed boundaries against greed and generational loss in His law. There was a designated portion for every tribe, with the singular exception of the Levites. The tribe of priests received no allotment. The lack of personal resources kept them entirely dependent upon God. We might feel sorry for them, but this text reinforced the idea that the Levites received something far better than earthly square footage. The Lord was their inheritance. As priests, they were afforded an intimacy with God that was out of reach for others. Being a Levite sustained by God’s kindness alone was a blessing, not a curse.
As pastors, I reconsider Rob’s and my humble estate. We have been in ministry all of our adult lives and we have very little to show for it: car and a house that we co-own with the bank, a laughable 403b that might carry us a couple months into retirement, two cats and a vast collection of bibles. It is sometimes tempting to look at our neighbors and feel pretty low. But we do better when we look within and recognize that our inheritance is spiritual. What we possess in God is priceless. He has been our portion through all these years. He has strengthened and sustained. He has protected and provided. He has been our inheritance and He is ever enough.
The Levites remind me, it is a privilege to live dependent upon the Lord. He is, in fact, our manna and quail. We will not complain about the mysterious ways He sustains us in the wilderness. We get to live our lives in intimacy with Him. When I remember to look at my life through this lens, I am delighted to be set aside for His purposes.
"Lord, You alone are my portion and my cup; You make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." (Psalm 16:5-6 NIV)
Lord, please forgive us for the times we struggle with comparison. We forget how good and perfect Your plans are. In our holy, we ask questions and even make accusations. Have mercy on us. Today we are reminded how sweet it is to trust in You. You are our portion and You are more than enough. We delight in the intimacy we have cultivated as we have relied upon You for every need. We trust in You for all the days ahead. The boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places. Our lack keeps us close to You. Proximity is priceless. Amen.