I Wish I'd Known Him Better (Friday Devotional)

“In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.”

- Ephesians 1:11-12

Perhaps no trope was as reliable or well-worn in the movies of my childhood as the wish fulfillment fantasy. Whether it was the child who got to own and manage his own baseball team (Little Big League), the forgotten boy in the big family who had the house to himself for Christmas (Home Alone), or the kid who discovered a pair of shoes that gave him the basketball ability of Michael Jordan (Like Mike), the fundamentals of the plot never changed much: a 10-12 year-old child was miraculously given the ability to do something normally reserved for grownups.

Often in such movies, the wish was fulfilled through the death of a wealthy uncle/grandpa/kindly old neighbor who unexpectedly left all his worldly possessions to the child. Typically, this turning point in the story was announced via a video will, for maximum dramatic effect. And oftentimes, after the child and his or her family took a few moments to process the strange news—“Billy, you’re worth $10 million now!”—there would come a brief moment of pathos from the hero of the story. The child, staring at a photo of their deceased benefactor, would turn to their parents and quietly say, “I wish I’d known him better.” They never knew how much their relative cared until the inheritance was given, and now it was too late to demonstrate their gratitude.

In Ephesians 1, Paul uses the language of inheritance to refer to the eternal destiny of those who place their faith in Christ. For those who trust in the grace of God in Jesus Christ, in his atoning death and glorious resurrection, the future is secure—God has sealed you with the Holy Spirit and guaranteed you will spend eternity with Him. In Christ you have “obtained an inheritance;” you have been given a gift you did nothing to earn, just like in those kids’ movies.

But unlike in those stories, you still have time to express your gratitude. While your glorious inheritance came through a death, just like any earthly inheritance would, you are left with far more than just memories of your benefactor. Because of the wonder of the resurrection, you can have a relationship with him now—having obtained your inheritance, you can still grow closer to the risen, living Lord. Salvation offers what no earthly inheritance can—not only riches, but relationship.

Having obtained your heavenly inheritance by the grace of God in Christ, the only reasonable response is to honor that blessing by living “for the praise of his glory.” You have the opportunity to do what the kids in those movies never could—not to only enjoy the inheritance you’re given, but to enjoy the one who gave it to you. So may you not only appreciate God’s magnificent love for you, may your life serve as witness to it.