BIBLE PASSAGE:
The Lord will reward everyone for whatever
good he does, whether he is slave or free.
(Ephesians 6:8)
MEDITATION:
We might not know all there is to know about the next life,
but this much is certain – the day Christ comes, will be the
day of reward for those who know Him. It will be a day when
those who seemed insignificant on earth, will be celebrated
in Heaven.
Those who went unknown, on earth will be known in heaven.
Those who never heard the cheers of men, will hear the cheers
of angels. Those who missed the blessings of a father, will hear
the blessings of their heavenly Father. The small will be great.
The forgotten will be remembered.
The unnoticed will be crowned and the faithful will be honored.
The winner’s circle isn’t reserved for a handful of the elite, but
for all of God’s children – those whom He knows and who love
Him.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because,
having stood the test, that person will receive the crown
of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
(James 1:12)
In Matthew, Jesus says there are some who think they are heaven
bound, but they will not be known by Him.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter
the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will
of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me
on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your
name, and in your name drive out demons and perform
many miracles?; Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never
knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7:21-23)
Our goal in this life is to ensure He does KNOW us. How can
we develop a friendship with the Lord? We strive to know Him
better by spending time with Him (consistently praying, reading
the bible, and worshipping with other believers).
We don’t just read His Word like any other book, but we let it
speak to us as we meditate on His ‘love letters’ to mankind. We
listen to each word and let it guide us in living our life for Him.
God’s Word is the instruction manual for those who have confessed
their sins, asked for His forgiveness, and committed to surrendering
their will to His will for their lives.
God has a purpose for all who belong to Him and we must discover
the plan and purpose He has for each of us. Why? So we can begin
a new and exciting life of serving the Lord in the way He planned
for us before we were even born.
Imagine that! We are not just a ‘blob’ of a human being who was
spontaneously created to wander through life with no apparent
reason. We are ‘heavenly’ created for a ‘heavenly’ purpose, and
our purpose is ‘triggered’ into action when we receive salvation
from the Lord.
Since we were created by God, He knows our capabilities and
our limitations, and what we need to assist us in fulfilling His
purpose for us. When God graciously gives us His free gift of
salvation, He includes the presence of the Holy Spirit to help
us in following the path He has charted for us.
He also gives us a ‘spiritual gift’, which is a special ability to do
spiritual things in our efforts to follow His will for our lives. And
lastly, He begins a process called ‘sanctification’ where He purges
us of all unrighteousness and fills us with righteousness.
Why? Because He wants us to become more like the One we are
following (His Son, Jesus), and because He knows how unrighteous
thoughts and actions will handicap us from following the path He
has planned for our lives.
If God doesn’t change us, then we will continue to be driven by our
own selfish attitudes and our own personal guidelines for living like
Jesus.
Someone once told me that the only people he would help are family
members and widows. If we are going to live like Jesus, then we should
ask ourselves,
“Did Jesus have any limitations of those He would help?”
He didn’t, did He?
God has an exciting and purposeful journey for those who have
admitted they are sinners, who have asked for His forgiveness,
and who have committed to allowing Him to be our helper and
guide for living the life He planned for us when He created us!
ACTION:
Questions to consider:
– How is your relationship with the Lord?
– Do you just know about Him, or do you know Him?
– More importantly, does He know you?
– How much time do you spend with Him each day?
– Do you visit Him at His house on a regular basis?
– How often do you allow your own desires
to take precedence over His desires for you?
– When He gives us His ‘free’ gift of salvation, He also gives us a
‘spiritual gift’ – How are you using your spiritual gift to serve Him?
– How often do you call on the Holy Spirit to help you in being
obedient, transforming into the person God wants you to be,
and fulfilling God’s preordained purpose for your life?
Pray,
“Lord, I want You to know me. Show me where I have neglected
opportunities to build my relationship with You. Forgive me for
not diligently pursuing my relationship with You. Help me to be
consistent in spending time with You. Create in me a desire to
spend time with you daily so I will really know You, and not just
know about You. I want to be with You and receive my reward
when I leave this world. May I never forget what Jesus did for
me on the cross. Thank You, Jesus, and I pray that my thoughts
of Your sacrifice will be my motivation to know You better. God
show me Your purpose for me, and help me to embrace everything
You have provided to assist me in fulfilling Your will for my life,
instead of following my own purpose that is driven by selfishness
and worldly influences.”
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