🧡 A Shotgun, an Empty Note, and the Inheritance I Never Received

An Easter Reflection on Psalm 16, the Cup Jesus Drank, and the Eternal Inheritance He Secured

🪦 Today Is Easter

Today we celebrate the day everything changed.
The day death lost its sting.
The day Jesus walked out of the tomb and made a way for us to inherit something that can never be taken away.

Easter isn’t just the story of Jesus' resurrection—it’s the moment our eternal inheritance was secured.

And this truth became even more personal to me in the wake of a great loss—when my earthly inheritance came up empty.

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🧨 A Shotgun, an Empty Note, and the Ache That Remained

My birth dad tragically passed away last year. When he died, I was left with buried questions, buried answers—and no inheritance.

I’m one of seven children. Although my dad and I had a relationship on the surface, he had planned to sit down with me to discuss the past—and what really caused the court to deny him rights when I was 9 years old. That meeting never happened.

At his funeral, one of his brothers approached me. Knowing we probably wouldn’t receive anything from the estate, he gave me a gift. We met later at his house, and he handed me one of my dad’s old shotguns.

I thanked him—but deep down, I still felt the ache.
My dad had left me nothing.
Not even a note.

And on this Resurrection Sunday, I’m reminded that while my earthly father left little behind, my heavenly Father has given me everything I need.

Somewhere deeper—I knew I had already received an inheritance far greater.

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📖 Psalm 16 and the Inheritance of the Youngest Son

Psalm 16 is a beautiful song about the joys and benefits of walking closely with God.

David, its author, was the youngest in his family—someone who, by cultural norms, would’ve received nothing in terms of earthly inheritance. In Jewish tradition, inheritance went to the firstborn son, who received a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17).

But David had something better.

He had God. 🙏

“LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.”
— Psalm 16:5–6

David wasn’t celebrating land or wealth.
He was celebrating the fact that God Himself was his inheritance—and he did so while his life was under threat.
That’s faith in the midst of chaos.

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📜 What Portion, Cup, and Inheritance Really Meant

Here’s what David’s original audience would’ve understood when he used those words:

🗺️ Land was divided among Israel’s tribes as inheritance (Joshua 13–21)
📍 Each family received a portion—their lot—assigned by casting lots (Proverbs 16:33)
👑 The firstborn son received a double portion, symbolizing honor and leadership (Deuteronomy 21:17)
🍷 The cup symbolized one’s destiny—either blessing (Psalm 23:5) or wrath (Psalm 75:8)

So when David says, “You are my portion and my cup,” he’s saying:

“Even if I lose land, position, or human legacy—I already possess the greatest inheritance imaginable: Yahweh Himself.”

The source of his future, identity, and joy wasn’t found in human systems or material blessing—it was found in God alone.

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👣 A Priest’s Promise—and a King’s Declaration

David may have been remembering what God once said to the priests:

“I am your portion and your inheritance.” — Numbers 18:20

Though spoken to the Levites, David personalizes this promise. He sees himself not only as a king but as someone whose greatest treasure is God Himself.

As Alexander MacLaren puts it:

“Every godly man has the same possession and the same prohibitions as the priests had.
Like them, he is landless—and instead of estates, he has Jehovah.”

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🎸 My Shotgun Inheritance—and What I Really Received

My dad could’ve left me $3 trillion.
His house.
His car.
His guitar.
But none of that would’ve truly satisfied. 💸

Earthly inheritances fade.
They rust.
They break.
They don’t follow you into eternity.

But you know what lasts?
God does.

He is my portion, my cup, and my delightful inheritance.

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✝️ Jesus, the Cup, and the Resurrection Promise

Psalm 16 isn’t just about David—it points to Jesus.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed:

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” — Luke 22:42

That cup was the full wrath of God for sin.
And Jesus drank it willingly—so you and I could inherit the cup of blessing.

On the cross, He cried, “It is finished.”
And three days later, He rose. 🔥

That means our inheritance is no longer tied to what we’ve earned or what was passed down through bloodlines.

Through His blood, we now receive:

• 🕊 The Holy Spirit, who guarantees what’s to come (Ephesians 1:13–14)

• 👑 A royal identity as co-heirs (Romans 8:17)

• 🏡 An eternal home in the presence of God (John 14:2–3)

• 💪 An unshakable hope that endures suffering and overcomes death (1 Peter 1:3–5)

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💥 Never Finished Challenge: Live Resurrected

Today, don’t just reflect on the resurrection—receive your inheritance.

Say it aloud:

“The Lord is my portion and my cup.”
I don’t need approval, land, or wealth.
I already have everything I need—God Himself.

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🏁 A Final Lap I’ll Never Forget

Yesterday, I ran a 30-mile ultra out of nowhere.
It was supposed to be a team relay—just three 5Ks for me. But I was running in honor of my friend John, who’s battling pancreatic cancer.

His earthly race is full of pain.
But he’s still running because God has the final word.
So I decided to run his race for and with him.
Because the John I know doesn’t just run one lap.

I did all 10 laps. 30 miles. Each lap with a teammate, and the last lap with someone who had done an extra lap with me after being inspired.
At the end of the last lap, John and I united.
And we sprinted the final 100 yards together. 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️💨

It wasn’t just a finish line—it was a resurrection picture.
A glimpse of the kingdom—what God can do through you despite the pain.
It was also a reminder that one day, we’ll run without pain.
Without death.
Together, forever.

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🙌 Thank You, Jesus.

For the inheritance, no grave can steal.
For the cross You carried.
For the cup You drank.
For the life You gave—
and the life we now live.

You are my portion. You are my cup.
Forever.

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