***

Christ left us an inheritance;

He died and left a will.

When we have that inheritance,

With joy our hearts will fill.

It is the soul’s inheritance;

It’s love and faith and peace.

There’s righteousness and patience, too;

And rest that will not cease.

***

We all want that inheritance,

Believers really do;

But that inheritance, it seems,

Is claimed by, oh, so few.

What is the problem? Why is that?

Where is it we’ve gone wrong?

Why don’t we have it in our lives?

It does, to us, belong.

***

I’ve seen believers who have walked

With God for forty years,

Who do not have that peace they need,

And are so filled with fears.

They love their Lord and do good works,

And read His word and pray.

They are so giving of themselves;

Yet fear and worry stay.

***

And I see fears within myself

That have not gone away,

Though Christ has been my Lord for years,

And I love Him each day.

I need that good inheritance

That sometimes I don’t see;

For in my life, from time to time,

From fears I am not free.

***

I asked the Lord, "How can this be?

Please show me what is wrong.

I know You died so I could have

This peace for which I long.

And I know that you want to give

Me rest from fear inside.

Why don’t I always see it there?

Why don’t my fears subside?"

***

And then, in essence, this is what

My Father said to me:

"You’re right, I long to give you

Your inheritance—it’s free.

But there’s a problem that you have

That’s keeping My hands tied.

You’re not aware that it is there;

It’s buried deep inside."

***

He said, "It is an attitude,

One that’s preventing Me

From making your inheritance,

For you, reality.

I know the intents of your heart

And all its thoughts today;

The problem is you don’t want to

Give up control, I say."

***

I was so shocked to see this

Attitude of heart in me.

I thought I’d given up control;

But then, I did agree,

That God knows all about me,

Things of which I’m not aware.

He wants truth in my inward parts,

And now He’s placed it there.

***

Though I was shocked to know

This hidden attitude’s inside,

Subconsciously, but now exposed,

It can no longer hide;

For God has shined His light within

Upon that stronghold there,

And I’m so glad to know this truth

Of which I’m now aware.

***

"So now," God said, "if you repent,

And lay aside your pride,

You’ll find that your inheritance

To you can be applied.

Be willing to give up control,

Or else, at least, just say:

‘Please make me willing to give up

Control to You today.’"

***

Control . . . or . . . my inheritance,

It is my choice to make.

I can’t have both but only one;

Which do I choose to take?

"The choice you make I will respect,"

My Father said, "I will;

But if you choose inheritance,

Your heart with joy will fill."