INHERIT OR POSSESS

Friday: May 8, 2020

Psalm 2:8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession.

Two words stood out for me in today’s text: ‘inheritance’ and ‘possession’ thus I pondered on both of these words for a while. ‘To inherit’ is to gain something without intentionally or actively seeking. Thus, we inherit characteristics from our birth parents and inherit estates when others pass them on. We do not actively participate, ours is only to receive what is given.

‘To possess’ on the other hand leans towards an active and conscious process of taking. This usually requires a forceful advance to lay hold of something which exists. Thus, without that intentionality aiming to actively lay and keep hold of, one cannot possess.

With these two viewpoints in mind, God says ‘the heathen He will give for an inheritance’ and the ‘uttermost part of the earth for a possession’: one phase where we do nothing and another where we become key players. So we have a simple summary: to inherit, the work has already been done for you but if you want to possess, you cannot stand back with your arms folded.

Beloved, some things in life will be inherited and you will not have to fight for them. There are however others that fall in the category of ‘possessions’ and literally, you have to possess them. Without clearly distinguishing between these, we may lose many opportunities for expansion.

#sly