The Name of the Lord

My Portion
Lamentations 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

My Piece of the Pie
We are possessive people. As a child growing up in a home of six children "portions" were very important. We were zealous of who got the biggest piece of meat, pie, ice cream, or anything. It all had the temporary emergency flavor to it. If we didn't get the biggest piece, or at least a fair share, we felt cheated.

Levites must have felt cheated when God dished out portions to the 12 tribes of Israel when they finally settled in the Promised Land. Everyone got their slice of the pie, except for the Levites, the sons of Aaron. God had something different in store for them. Numbers18:20 and Deuteronomy 18:2 both record that the sons of Aaron "Shall have no inheritance in the land," and then the Lord states, "I am your portion and your inheritance."

David, though rich as king, recognized the fleeting nature of his possessions when his son Absalom rebelled and tried to take the inheritance, the kingdom. Psalms 73:26,119:57, 142:5 all repeat the same affirmation: "The Lord is my portion."

In Psalm 142:5 David is hiding in a cave from his enemies. There he cries to the lord his complaint but, as so often, he comes to his senses and affirms the Lord's steadfast love -- "You are my refuge and my portion in the land of the living."

Pastors and missionaries, almost all Christian workers, sometimes feel cheated when they look at the prosperity and benefit packages others in secular employment receive. What a comfort to know that we are not being cheated; we are being blessed with the best. Ours is a portion bigger and more enduring than the rest. THE LORD IS MY PORTION. Someone cleverly stated it this way, "Serve the Lord, the benefit package is out of this world!"

  • Psalms 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
  • Psalms 119:57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.
  • Psalms 142:5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

    Close to Thee

    Thou my everlasting portion,
    more than friend or life to me,
    all along my pilgrim journey,
    Savior, let me walk with thee.

    Refrain:
    Close to thee, close to thee,
    close to thee, close to thee,
    all along my pilgrim journey,
    Savior, let me walk with thee.