I’ve met many wondering, “I’ve served God so long
With nothing to show for it.  Where is my reward?”
The faithful, serving their best, giving their all
The faithless, serving their bellies, ambition and egos:
All hopeful, hands outstretched to God for reward
But here is truth: God owes no one nothing.
Those who serve their ways will reap the wind
Those who serve God will see the faithful Rewarder
Who pays and owes not, who pays well in due time.
Until then, let love inspire quest to know Him more
Humbly serve, for Who He is, not for what you want.
Give first your best, holding nothing back, and
Let Him be God: He has eternity to come through
As Comforter and exceeding great Reward.

Food for Thought: There are times we find ourselves in that place where we wonder, “To what end is living for and serving God?” Those who don’t believe appear to be making it with very little effort. Those who blaspheme God are esteemed while those who bless are cursed and cast aside. There are times you look around and it appears that life is determined to disappoint your loyalty to God and His work. Through such times, may we learn to reevaluate our services and what is driving them. When we serve our goals, irrespective of their godly covers, God does not owe us. May we learn to reevaluate our faith so that it is not shifting from the place of absolute trust in God toward rewards. Through such times, the greatest lesson we can learn is that our reward is not houses and riches and all the good things of this world. In this life, our reward is God, every other thing that comes after is secondary and whatever is left will be settled in heaven when we see Him. And He does not forget – He is a generous and faithful Rewarder. If that be the case, then our utmost goal should be to preserve this Reward so that disappointment, discouragement, weariness, failure, discontentment, and the like do not steal Him from us. When we know that God is our reward, our perspectives on life, on profit and losses, on riches and poverty will change. May we truly understand that God is our reward: the greatest of all rewards.

Scripture: After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” Genesis 15: 1.

Prayer: Dear Lord, keep me mindful of what David said, that from his youth to old age, he never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread: help me understand that You are not only My Provider, You are my Daily Bread, my Shelter, my Comfort and Exceedingly Great Reward, amen.