Joshua 21:34-40: a reflection

34To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands, 35Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands: four cities. 36Out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its pasture lands, Jahaz with its pasture lands, 37Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands: four cities. 38Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Mahanaim with its pasture lands, 39Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands: four cities in all. 40All these were the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites. Their lot was twelve cities.

This is a list of towns given to the Levite clan of Merari, cities with their pasturelands, scattered across the territories of Zebulun, Reuben, and Gad. It looks like just another allotment, but there is something distinctive about the Levites' portion. Unlike the other tribes, the Levites received no single block of land, no territory to call their own. Instead they were given cities dotted throughout all the other tribes.

There was a reason for this. The Levites' inheritance, Scripture says elsewhere, was the LORD himself; God was their portion, not real estate. And so they were spread out among all the people, present in every region, woven into the whole nation rather than gathered in one corner. Those whose inheritance was God were distributed among everyone, to teach and serve and keep the worship of God alive throughout the land.

There is a pattern in this worth noticing. People whose true portion is God are often placed not in comfortable enclaves but scattered among others, present in ordinary places, woven into communities that need them. If your deepest inheritance is God rather than the things others build their lives on, you may find yourself, like the Levites, distributed where you are needed rather than settled where it is easy. Hold God as your portion, and be content to be placed among the people, present and serving wherever he scatters you.

Lord, be my portion and my inheritance, more than any place or possession. And like the Levites scattered among the tribes, help me be content to be placed where you need me, present and serving among the people, holding you as my true inheritance.