A Little Piece of Canaan

I am realistic. 

I am aware that I will not ever be the most well known or ‘successful’ worship leader in the world. And I’m fine with that. Actually, that kind of ministry looks like more hassle than it’s worth -  I’m sure it’s a constant mind field of mixed motivations and potential compromises. And I'm not sure I’m global-worship-leader-role-model material anyway. 

Good luck to ‘em. Or God bless them. Or both.

Although I can easily resign from that position of international celebrity, how willing am I to surrender every single last bit of recognition?

That’s does not come quite so easily.

Maybe I’d be satisfied with just being known in this country, or this region, or this network, or that conference or just from the front of my church - as long as I’m known and appreciated somewhere then I can satisfy that part of my heart that longs for the attention of man.

When Moses divided up the Promised Land, Canaan, between the 12 tribes of Israel he gave nothing to the Levites. They were allotted no territory at all. They did not get a little piece of Canaan, but they were entrusted with something much greater:

“At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today.  That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as the LORD your God told them” (Deuteronomy 10:8-9)

My inheritance is the LORD. 

It is not the recognition of my church, or network or denomination or country. It is not the congratulations of my fellow man. It is not people’s appreciative gaze, nor their encouraging words.

My inheritance is the LORD.

My privilege is not a little piece of Canaan. My privilege is ‘to stand before the Lord and to pronounce blessings in his name’. My privilege is to sing for the glory of God. 

And my inheritance is the LORD

What else could I need? What else could satisfy the truest and deepest longings of my heart? What else will sustain me through all my years and into eternity?

Absolutely nothing.