THIS is another review of the Prodigal Son narrative delivered on the heels of my previous three postings from Bible Portal. This time it is from Grace Gems, titled “My Portion” by James Smith (“Gleams of Grace” 1860). With this accounting we look not at the Prodigal, but his stay at home brother.
“O beloved, God in all the glory of His nature and perfections, God with all His unsearchable riches–is our portion!”
CONSIDERING the Lord being “my portion,” I’ve been thinking much of late on Psalm 73: 25&26
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but Godis the strength of my heart and my portion forever!” Psalm 73:26
HAVING gone long last time, I want to keep this introduction short, leaving you with this thought. Over the years musing upon the Prodigal Son narrative, I have come to the conclusion that a better title would be “The Father of two Prodigals,” one near and one far. Whenever I read this story, I visualize it from the vantage point of the father seated on the front porch or standing at the window every morning, looking down the road for his wayward yet beloved son to return, while the other son embittered watches.
Well, I leave you with that thought as we return to today to another consideration of the Prodigal Son narrative, Part 4, “My Portion.”
In the inexorable riches of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10; Isa 30:15; Job 2:10; Jas. 1:2; Prov. 21:30
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My portion, by James Smith
Psalm 119:57, “You are my portion, O Lord!”
Many people are proud of their possessions, and boast of their wealth; yet their possessions are very limited, and their wealth has wings and may flee away at any time! A Christian may not be proud; but he has great reason to be thankful. He can look over the whole earth, and say, “My wealth exceeds all this!” He can look up and gaze on thestarry heavens and say, “My property exceeds this vast expanse!” He may try to conceive of the greatness and glory of the created universe, and then say, “I claim more than all this!” Looking up to the Author, Owner, and Disposer of all worlds–he can say,“Youare my portion, O Lord!”
What a privilege! A portion–and such a portion.
God Himself in all His greatness, and in all His goodness.
God with all He is, and all He has–is my portion!
What kind of a portion is this? It is immense, for it comprehends all.
All the attributesof the Divine nature, are for us.
All the perfections of God’s character, are on our side.
All the productions of the divine power, are for our good.
Therefore the apostle says, “All things are yours!”
Nothing good is withheld from us!
What the father of the prodigal said to his eldest son–our heavenly Father says to every one of His children, “Son, you are ever with Me, and all that I have is yours!”
We may adopt similar language in speaking to our heavenly Father, to that used by the angel to Abraham, “By this I know that You love me, because You have not withheld Your Son, Your only Son from me!” And from this fact, we may draw the same conclusionas Paul did, “He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also, freely give us all things!”
O beloved, God in all the glory of His nature and perfections, God with all His unsearchable riches–is our portion!
What kind of a portion is this? It is immutable. It remains forever. Others may lose their property, or it may become deteriorated and comparatively valueless–but our portion is forever the same!
Our portion can never be forfeited, or alienated, or reduced in value–because it is the unchangeable God Himself!
Blessed is the man that can say with Jeremiah, “The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in Him!”
Or with David, “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance!”
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but Godis the strength of my heart and my portion forever!” Psalm 73:26
