We all like presents. We all want rewards.
I remember as a little fella, being excited when Dad would come home from a business trip, and me and my brothers would immediately be asking – “Dad, what did you bring us?” We were hoping for some reward, some present. And though we didn’t express it properly, the bigger and better reward that we should have been most excited about was that Dad had returned home.
I have often heard people talking about serving God so that they will get a reward. This is not an un-biblical idea, but sometimes I wonder if our motives might be “in the wrong place”? If I am serving just in order to get a reward from God, am I serving Him or am I serving myself?
What is the blessing that I am looking for as I serve?
The Reward of Heaven?
The Reward of Escaping Hell?
The Reward of special Crowns I might receive?
The Reward of the End of Sadness?
The Reward of a New Body with no more Pain?
If I am only serving for my benefit, who am I really serving – myself or Jesus?
Maybe I should be more concerned about the simple reward of the joy of living with Christ. Isn’t that sufficient? Maybe I should focus more on the reward of being in a relationship with Him day-by-day.
Jon Piper asked it this way:
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven…if Jesus Christ were not there?
Too often, we can be more focused on getting God’s blessings than enjoying the blessing of His relationship.
Too often I find myself wanting God to bless me, instead of being focused on answering the question, “God, how can I bless You?” I think it is time for me to focus more on how I can use my life to bless Him – and enjoy the reward of exalting Him more than seeking to receive a reward that exalts me.
What do you think… in your experience, do more people desire the things Jesus gives or do more people desire Jesus Himself? Are people too focused on asking “God, what did You bring us?” instead of being focused on the fact that He has given us a relationship with Himself?
(quote from John Piper, God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself)
