Do You Know the Joy of a Spiritual Heritage?

July 20, 2023

Do You Know the Joy of a Spiritual Heritage?

By Ashton Holt

“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.”  Psalm 119:111-112

The language of the psalmists always strikes me, particularly in Psalm 119. They use such rich language in the description of God’s Word! Here, our psalmist describes God’s testimonies as his “heritage” and the “joy of his heart.” God’s word tells the psalmist’s story; it provides the foundation of his life.

As members of the family of God through the blood of Jesus, we can locate our stories in the Gospel. Our spiritual heritage is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul writes we were dead in the sins and trespasses in which we once walked. We inherited the sin nature of our spiritual relatives dating back to Adam and Eve. Yet, simultaneously, we inherited the promise of Jesus who would defeat death once and for all. He is the Author and Perfector of each of our stories. On the cross, Jesus put to death our former selves, idols, and sin nature. We have been crucified with Christ.

We know if we have been united with Christ in a death like his, then we have been united with him in a resurrection like his. The life we now live, we live by faith in the one who loved us and gave himself up for us. Through union with Jesus Christ, our spiritual heritage is one of triumph. We have received the Holy Spirit as the seal of our adoption and eagerly await the fullness of the resurrection of our bodies. For now, we live in remembrance of the deliverance of Christ. 

Recount your spiritual heritage today. As individual members of the body of Christ, each of us has a unique story. Yet each of our stories has a touchstone in common: the intervention of God’s grace. As you reflect on the movement of God in your life from death to resurrection with Christ, see what joy fills your heart. May the testimony of God’s gracious intervention be the delight of our hearts forever. 

Reflection: Reflect on your story. Where has God transformed your life? What areas of your current life do you want to surrender to him? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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