A CALL TO DIE-DAY 4

Day 4- Rewards

The scripture that went along with today's topic is 1 Samuel 2:30 which reads,
""Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained."

The main focus of this verse was Those who honor me, I will honor. That is a big deal. Those of us who do what God askes are honored by God. This day speaks of rewards that come with obedience. Some of that is here on earth, but a lot of that is in Heaven. I have heard most of my life that sometimes our rewards are on the "other side" of glory. Some people's lives don't measure up to a lot by world terms but are big to God. I'm speaking of Martyr's. Take Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer is known is Christian circles as a young german who took a stand against Hitler and the Nazi regime. This came at a cost. He was imprisoned and yet he spoke and wrote of God's grace for him in these times. There were Nazi's who gave him opportunities to turn against his beliefs, but he shared that he must hold to them and honor Christ. There were those who attempted to rescue him, but he realized that his family and friends may be in danger, so he stopped it.

The day of his execution, he went to the gallows with his head held high. His reward was what came AFTER he was killed. His reward is meeting Jesus face to face. That is the reward that is in store for all of us in Heaven.

Sometimes, this world, the people in it, the things of it, aren't kind to us. Sometimes, we never receive the recognition we think we deserve or we never get that Job or raise we felt we should, and we feel cheated. But in the light of the great sacrifice that Christ made, giving ALL of Himself, dying for us, when he was innocent, it puts those "rewards" in perspective.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36

The reward, the ONLY reward that should matter to the Christian in the long run is seeing Jesus face to face and hearing "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Being perfectly honest, that is NOT the only reward that has mattered to me to his point, but I am praying through this, and this is part of what the book is all about, that I would go from who I am and become more like God wants me to be!

I pray the same for you today! Stay tuned for Day 5!

-Brian