"Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you

to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom

of light."   Colossians 1.12

I was listening to a Pastor who I very much respect on the radio.

He was talking about inheritance, and how he was not going to

leave his son one.  He explained that he had to work to get

ahead, and that his son should too.  While it sounded noble

to instill such a work ethic, I couldn't help but think, "How sad".

Passing along an inheritance is one of the best pictures

of God's grace!

As it turned out, I was listening to him on the radio shortly after

my Mom died.  Mom left me with an inheritance, and I couldn't

help but see some parallels between her gift and God's gift

to us.

First of all,  it wasn't the inheritance I really wanted, it was her!

I would have given anything to just have her.  And if we love

God it will be the same.  He promises us a big inheritance, but

He's what we really want. 

Secondly, it was totally obvious that Mom was thinking of me

when she left me her inheritance.  She purposely planned

things so my brother, sister and I would be blessed.  She was

thinking of us even as she was dying.  What a beautiful picture

of how Christ loves us! 

Thirdly, it was pure grace!  My Mom worked her whole life to

earn what she had.  I didn't deserve any of it!  And yet her I

was left with all these gifts.  I don't know of any better picture

of God's grace than inheritance.  God gives us everything,

when we deserve nothing!  Jesus did all the work, and after

He died, we got all the treasures of His inheritance!

'And that ', said the Pastor on the radio, 'was the very reason

he would not leave his son an inheritance'.  He reasoned

his son might not properly value it and go and waste it.

This is true!  But it didn't stop God from giving us His treasures.

He paid a heavy price, did all the work, earned what we

never worked for, knew that we might not totally appreciate

it, might even waste it...and yet, gave us His inheritance!

Wow!  That is why I say one of the best pictures of God's

grace is inheritance.

But finally, I received an inheritance from Mom simply because

I was her son and she loved me.   She did exactly the same

for my brother and sister.  We were her children; she loved us,

and because of that she left us what she could.  There's

not a day that goes by that I don't see something Mom left

me and I think of her and smile.  I smile because she was

my Mom. I smile because she loved me. And I smile, yes,

at the things she left me and her thoughtfulness to care enough

to do that for me.  I received an inheritance because I was

her child.  And this is the perfect picture of God in His love

for us.  We're His family, He's our Father, and yes, Jesus

is our brother!  All we receive from Him is just because we're

His children.  Sheer grace!