There is an Inheritance Waiting for you: Lead like a servant and serve like the Master

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm 80: 8-9  You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it.  You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, And it filled the land.

OBSERVATION: Here the Chief Musician Asaph inspired by God has written a psalm of lament.  Meaning it’s a type of psalm that cries out to the Lord in distress, voices his distress, confesses his trust, list his reasons for God to intervene and petitions, and finally vows to praise God.  There are many psalms written in such a manner.  Very honest and real in their distress and confession, but most often remembering that God is able to save them. 

Egypt is often a metaphor for bondage, especially in terms of referring to our old self or our old nature before Christ.  In Psalm 80:9 God speaks of His people as a vine he brought out of Egypt (their literal captivity) cast out the nations and planted it (I’m fairly certain this is referring to their conquest of the promised land of Canaan after 40 years in the wilderness) and caused it to take deep root (They did indeed gain more and more territory once they entered in and pushed out the Gentiles) and it filled the land (they did just that!  They filled the land.)

APPLICATION:  The God of the Old Testament is the same God as in the New Testament.  There’s something for us to learn in the entire word of God.  We have only to look to II Timothy 3:16 to be assured of that.  We were all once lost in darkness, in sin, but God gave His Son to deliver us from that bondage and into the inheritance that He has for us in Christ.  We too were all once lost in Egypt.  And now, being agents of His kingdom, there is an inheritance…a prepared space for each and every one of us to take deep root in, and have God glorifying impact!  God never changes..the same yesterday, today and forever!  In Ephesians 2:10 God declares that He has prepared good works in advance that we should walk in them.  His call today is still the same as yesterday.  Be obedient and you will possess the land he has prepared for you!  And inversely as we see all throughout scripture; Behave disobediently and be conquered, punished and judged..that you might look up once again and be restored and remember your God.  The one foot in, one foot out approach (lukewarm faith) is also just as dangerous.  Half-hearted Christianity puts us in the same condition as the whining, back sliding Israelites that followed Moses out of Egypt…wandering in the wilderness until we wake up, repent, cry out!, and be lead into the promises God has for us.
  He’ll definitely teach us while in the wilderness, but why waste time?  Learn by wisdom and not consequences and save yourself/myself precious time for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16).  The days constantly need redemption.  And we the redeemed are to be redeeming the time and being a shining star guiding (declaring salvation and discipling) the enslaved Egyptians so-to-speak into their full inheritance in Christ. 

PRAYER:  Lord, the more I read the word the more I see You.  Thank You for saving me.  You amaze me God and cause me to be in awe of your love as a Father, Your patience, grace, longsuffering….You are truly good all the time. And Your mercy endures forever as a remnant in every generation has still declared to be true.  There is an inheritance for me.  There is still more territory to be taken back for the kingdom.  Help me to be obedient all the time.  To branch out and have the courage to invite others into this glorious heritage.  To disciple well others so that they in turn may also disciple others well.  To lead like a servant and to serve like the Master.. Amen