A Rich Inheritance in a Troubled Vessel
Like a handcrafted bowl shaped through heat and pressure, we are God’s treasure, His inheritance formed in love.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Ephesians 1:17–18 points us toward a powerful truth. God desires that we grow in spiritual understanding not merely through intellect, but through revelation. Paul speaks of the “eyes of your heart” being enlightened, not just the mind. This matters deeply. A loveless mind may gather facts, but only a heart made alive in Jesus can truly perceive the riches of what God has given and is doing in His people.
E. Stanley Jones challenges us to move beyond knowledge that is cold and detached. He references how humanity once used scientific knowledge to create something as destructive as the atomic bomb, showing that brilliance apart from love can lead to ruin. In contrast, wisdom and revelation from the Lord lift us to see not only what He is doing in us, but also what He treasures in us. This seeing comes from the heart. It is a seeing shaped by love.
What God gets from His people is not just worship or obedience. He receives an inheritance. That may seem staggering. But Paul says it clearly. The riches of His glorious inheritance are found in the saints. God looks upon us, even with our history of stumbling, and sees something so precious that He calls it a rich inheritance. This shifts the lens completely. It is not only about what we receive from Him, but also what He receives from us.
God does not see us as a problem He has to manage. He sees us as people in whom He delights, people He is forming into His inheritance. Like a parent who looks back and says, “It was worth it,” our Father delights in what He is making of us. He calls us rich. And in that, we rest.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are My treasure. You belong to Me. I have opened the eyes of your heart so that you may know the hope to which I have called you. You are not defined by your past. You are defined by My promises, My work, and My presence in you.
I am showing you the fullness of My plan, not only what you will receive but what you already are to Me. You are My inheritance. I rejoice over you. I have invested My life in you, and I have no regrets. The more you yield to Me, the more My glory shines through. I have made you Mine. I am sanctifying you by truth, and I will present you blameless with exceeding joy.
Do not shrink back. I have not called you to live as one barely tolerated. I have called you as one deeply valued. You are the work of My hands, the object of My affection, and the vessel through which My fullness will be revealed.
Scripture References: Ephesians 1:17–18, Colossians 1:27, Zephaniah 3:17, John 17:17, Romans 8:30, Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:18–19, 1 Peter 2:9, 2 Corinthians 4:7
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a ceramic bowl pulled from the kiln. It’s been through the fire. The glaze has settled unevenly. A few imperfections show in the shape. But in the eyes of its maker, it’s not a flawed object. It’s a finished vessel, shaped by pressure and heat into something uniquely beautiful and deeply personal.
You may see cracks or places where the glaze didn’t come out like you hoped. But the Lord sees the whole vessel and calls it His treasure. Today, if you’re tempted to view yourself through a lens of regret or lack, pause and trust the One who formed you. Say, “Lord, I trust You to shine through this vessel today. I yield to Your Spirit to live through me in all I do, even in the places that once seemed weak.”
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I rest in the joy of knowing that I am Yours. You have called me, filled me, and claimed me as Your inheritance. Thank You that I am not a problem You must fix, but a person You have redeemed. You are not disappointed in the process. You delight in the work.
I trust You to continue shaping me from the inside out. What You’ve begun, You will complete. You see worth in me because You placed Your life within me. I praise You for the truth that I am part of Your glorious inheritance. That is more than enough for today.