The Portion

With Thanksgiving in a couple of days, it is only fitting to have this next excerpt on the concept of “portion”. What is a portion? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a portion is “a part or share of something larger.” - a piece of something with a purpose. Both the portion and its source serve important functions. If I were to take a slice of pie, its purpose would be to enter my belly and serve as sustenance to my body, however the remainder of the pie remains as potential to provide sustenance to either self or to others. And the original source of that pie? That ultimately leads back to God.

Growing up in a family of seven, food was a first-come, first-serve. Plates might not be prepared ahead of time for everyone, so the portions were dependent upon each individual seeking the portion, and how much they desired, battling how much they should actually take in consideration for others. Those who didn’t come when called were not guaranteed the portion that they would have had if they came when it was ready. This battle between the portion we desire and what we take in being humble is exactly how we should view our portion when it is not coming directly from God. It is not up to us to decide the portion we receive. Otherwise we would receive more than we are capable of handling or receive less than what God has ordained out of a sought out desire to be humble. One is the path of the fool and the other is a lack treasuring the things of God.

When we look at a portion, man sees limitations, but God is rich in abundance. We tend to think of portions through the lens of scarcity, focusing on what we lack. The things of earth are not things that bring full satisfaction. Jesus redirects our attention and understanding of what our portion is, what we should desire as our portion, and who we are as a portion ourselves.

Our Portion

Continuing with the food metaphor, both the Old and New Testaments speak of bread. In the Old Testament, bread is sometimes referred to as manna. God provided manna to sustain His people in the wilderness [Exodus 16:35]. In the New Testament, Jesus is described as the living bread, a bread that nourishes the soul [John 6:51]. He is an everlasting bread, offering eternal life. He is the bread that faithfully satisfies our souls, provided we seek Him for nourishment.

A key difference between living and non-living bread is that non-living bread required one to be under the law of Moses to receive from God. But Jesus, as the final sacrifice, made it so that when we receive Him, we no longer need a bread dependent on our own perfection. Our portion no longer depends on how we live our lives, but on the One who gave His perfect life so that we may receive Him as our portion.

How others operate in their calling, whether more or less than you, should not matter, because you have been given your own portion. What you have received is uniquely set aside for you. Does this mean you should pause in operating in your calling just because God has given you your portion? No. Why would you let your food grow cold when you can eat it right after it comes out of the oven? We should be zealous and eager to receive our portion from God, treasuring what He gives us [Jeremiah 12:10].

The portion God gives us should also be the portion we give to others [Ecclesiastes 11:2]. God has entrusted us with precious gifts—not to be squandered, but to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth and to glorify Him.

There are obvious differences between the limitations of man and the unlimited nature of God. Where you might see lack, there is actually abundance. It’s important to understand where the source of your portion comes from. A portion directly from God is far more satisfying than one given by man. In 1 Samuel, Hannah, Elkanah's wife, was unable to have children and was berated by Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife. Despite this, Elkanah loved Hannah deeply and gave her a double portion, though her circumstances seemed bleak. In her distress, Hannah poured out her heart to God, and as a result, the Lord blessed her with a son, Samuel. Where the portion from man failed to satisfy, the portion from the Lord brought fulfillment.

Understanding our Portion

It’s easy to view a portion simply as the material blessings God gives to His children, and in some cases, this is true. God blesses His people in that they may bless Him in return. However, it’s crucial to remember that what is considered our portion doesn’t always align with our personal desires.

Job illustrates this when he loses nearly everything he had been given—not through his own actions or choices. He was a man who sought to walk with the Lord, as faithfully as possible given his circumstances. At this point, Job is wrestling with the accusations of his friends and begins to reflect on the blessings God had granted him, questioning what God’s purpose for him truly is

“For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?” - Job 31:2

This verse shows that, even in his despair, Job knew his portion was from above. Though he didn’t desire the trials he faced, he brought his concerns to God, trusting that answers would come, instead of rebelling.

Desired Portion

One of the Hebrew words for 'portion' is chalaq, which means territory, equal portions, and separation. Asaph, a poet, prophet, and Levite singer, expressed his struggles with envy toward those consumed by the world in Psalm 73. He couldn’t see the futility of their lives until he entered the sanctuary of God. Near the end of the psalm, in verses 25-27, he declares: 'Whom have I in heaven but You? And with You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.'

The Levites, the tribe Asaph was born into, were the only one of the twelve tribes not to receive a portion of land. Instead, they were a tribe of priests, dedicated to serving the Lord. As a portion, representing a part of something greater than itself, Asaph understood that his portion—though not tied to land—was far greater than anything the world could offer. Rather than seeking material things, he desired the portion of his calling and a life fully devoted to the Lord.

From this, we learn that instead of defining 'portion' in terms of material things, we must understand it in relation to heavenly things..

His Portion

Not only is the Lord our portion, but we are also His portion. This is both amazing and, for some, terrifying. If we are God’s portion, yet corrupted and filled with filth, why would He want to keep us? Imagine a nasty-looking sandwich sitting in the fridge—who would want that? But what if someone else, with the authority to throw it out, instead makes a new sandwich in its place before it’s time to be discarded? As the new sandwich, you’ve been made fresh by the very one who could have thrown you away.

Many verses speak of God’s stance on those who commit evil. In relation to portions, there are curses (Ezekiel 48:23) and fire and brimstone (Psalm 11:6). But Jesus is the ultimate "Photoshop." He takes our sins, the disgusting parts of us, removes them, and presents us unblemished, holy, and acceptable before our Father in heaven.