Inheritance

Read: Ephesians 1:4-14

“How did your long meeting go today?” Maya asked her mom.

Mom let out a big sigh as she walked to the kitchen table where Maya was coloring. “We talked with a financial advisor about important things like money your grandma left us and what your dad and I want the future to look like, especially for you.”

Maya nodded. She wanted to hear what Mom had to say, but talking about her grandma made Maya’s heart hurt. She hated how sad she and her family had been for the past month, but her parents assured her it was normal grieving.

“Actually…” Mom sat down at the table. “There’s something we discussed in our meeting that I wanted to talk to you about.”

Maya looked up, trying not to shy away from the topic. Her mom was being brave about it, so Maya could be brave and talk about her grandma too.

Even though talking about her was hard, Maya liked to remember how Grandma would paint her nails, or the summer Maya stayed at her grandma’s cottage.

Mom interrupted Maya’s thoughts. “Your grandma actually left you something. It’s called an inheritance.”

“An inheritance?” Maya asked.

“Yes,” Mom replied, picking up a crayon and setting it to paper. “Think if it as a gift from your grandma, but one she gives later, after she’s gone to be with Jesus.”

This idea brought a smile to Maya’s lips. She would have something new from her grandma even now.

“Come to think of it, you actually have two inheritances!” her mother mused. “One from your grandma, and one from Jesus.”

“I get an inheritance from Jesus too?” Maya asked, pausing her drawing.

“Yes. Because we have faith in Jesus, He has forgiven our sins, and we are now part of His family and have eternal life with Him. Those things are all part of the inheritance we get from God.”

Maya’s family often talked about Jesus, but she had never thought of Him giving her an inheritance before. After a moment, she spoke up. “Even though Grandma is with Jesus now, it makes me feel better to know she left a gift for me. It reminds me that she loves me and that I’ll see her again one day because of the inheritance Jesus has given us both.”

–Naomi Zylstra

How about you? Have you ever received a gift from someone who passed away? Maybe a loved one left you an item or a message that was special to you. Memories or special items from loved ones can be a great reminder of their love and how they were part of our lives. In the same way, our inheritance in Jesus is a gift that shows how much He loves us and that we are part of His family forever.

Today’s key verse: Because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God. Ephesians 1:11 (NLT)

Today’s key thought: Jesus gives an inheritance