Sometimes it is hard to determine when we will receive our rewards for following through with what God has entrusted us to do. Will we see His goodness in the land of the living or will we have to wait until that great gettin’ up morning? Of course, we know or should know that we cannot earn our salvation. Salvation is a gift that was given to us on the cross by the absolutely powerful blood of Jesus Christ! Yet, there are promises in the Word of God that are tied to obedience in action in this life.
For example, after the discourse between Jesus and the rich young ruler who didn’t want to sell his possessions, Jesus’ disciples posed questions and Jesus replied in Luke 18:29-30:
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
So, I take that to mean that if we make sacrifices for the sake of God’s kingdom, during our lifetime we will receive many returns AND as The Message puts it, “And then the bonus of eternal life!" In this life, during my lifetime, ANY DAY NOW, I can look forward to God’s loving and positive response to my dedication to Kingdom living and building.
In 1 Peter 5, Peter encourages his persecuted brothers and sisters to be humble to each other and in the presence of God’s mighty power because God will honor them when the time comes. Here is another promise of a time that is coming when God will honor His children! If we didn’t have that time to look forward to, we would most likely quit. Even , David put it eloquently in Psalm 27:
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
So, when we feel like giving up, remember we are contemplating giving up on God, the Creator of the universe, the One who has woven promises in His Holy Word that will come to pass. In those desperate moments when we shout, “When, Lord?!!” take heart and know He hears you and in His sovereignty the answer will most likely be, “When the time comes, in My time.” That means it is GOING TO HAPPEN, and we can rest in that!
