I Am Your Inheritance — Titus Chu
#198 in Songs and Hymns of Life
This joyful song really touches the heart of the author’s ministry. We, through our practical and daily knowing of Christ in the church life grow to collectively express the boundless fullness of God. What a revelation too good to be believed if it weren’t written for us in the Bible. Those who are new to this hymn might be surprised to sing these words with a traditional Christmas tune, but those who have come to know these words feel the joyfulness in the tune matches the words so well and allows this hymn to be richly enjoyed as a congregation. Instead of singing the whole song through, let’s sing in installments, walking through the hymn together.
Verse 1
What a wondrous fact, O Lord,
That I am Your inheritance,
All Your boundless riches need
The Church Your fullness to express.
What a wondrous fact indeed! This hymn jumps right into the key revelations in the book of Ephesians. We, those who have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are God’s very inheritance. That’s right! When He looks at creation, He is specifically interested in gaining people who can be one with Him, holy with Him, and filled with Him. That’s what He desires to inherit from creation.
In this process of God’s full salvation, His believers become something much more than objects of God’s mercy and pity. The redemption from our sins we receive ushers us into a process of transformation. God does not stop there — He puts us together as the Church which can collectively express His very fullness and boundlessness to the world! We become so one with God, that He is known through us! Let this wonder overflow into the chorus.
Chorus
Oh! Objects of Your love,
What we have become,
Manifest Your riches –
The praise of Your glory!Oh! Objects of Your love,
What we have become,
Manifest Your riches –
To the praise of Your glory!
We will touch on the Chorus at the end of the article. For now, the song walks us through the various blessings with which we have been blessed in the Beloved. As you sing, let each fact sweep you into a full and hearty “Oh!” in the chorus.
Verse 2
I am blessed with every blessing
In Christ in the heavenlies,
Chosen ere the earth’s foundation,
Holy I am saved to be.Verse 3
By the precious blood of Jesus,
We have fully been redeemed;
All offenses are forgiven,
Grace and wisdom pouring out.Verse 4
Now the Spirit has been given,
Pledge of my inheritance,
Giving wisdom, revelation,
That Your Person I may know.
So far, the hymn has brought us many items God has given to us in order to secure us as His inheritance. We receive the blessings, but the object is God’s own blessing. But here in the hymn and in Ephesians we see another blessing. It is not just that God is inheriting us, but we are to inherit God. We have a portion we are looking forward to! And it is not of any thing or earthly riches or attainment, but it is that by the Spirit, we see, know, and have intimacy with the very God. What a portion have we!
Verse 5
With enlightened inner eyes we
See the hope of Your dear call;
Power of Your resurrection
Manifested now in us.Verse 6
Lord, as Your inheritance, we
Praise You now wholeheartedly;
We’re Your Church and we’re Your body,
Your fullness eternally!
Praise the Lord! After all this we can sing with the Chorus the sense of marvel contained in the line, ‘what we have become.’ What God is doing in His people is marvelous. We become the vessel which displays God’s varied riches. This praises His glory.
Amazing! Too good! What a splendid mercy that we are the objects of God’s love! God in turn rejoices something like, ‘Fantastic! At Last! I have a body that matches Me and manifests My very life, person, characteristics and thoughts!’ All praise to the glory of His grace!
How are you experiencing the pledge of your inheritance today? How is God prodding you to express him among your friends and family? Day by day, may the praise in this song become your reality.
