Receiving our reward.

The concept of reward although present in the old testament does not seem to be as frequently mentioned as it is in the new testament. Starting from the gospels to the epistles, the idea of Christians being rewarded is quite ubiquitous. But what is the reward to be looking forward to? Who gives us the reward? Why should we get a reward in the first place? A reward is something that is given in recognition of one’s service or attainment. This means, a reward is not something that you can take, rather it is given to you because of a specific achievement. Jesus spoke a lot about our reward in Heaven particularly when it comes to following Him. He will give us the crown of life that God has promised those who love him (James 1:12). I would like to suggest that in our Christian walk, there are two types of rewards we should be aware of: the immediate or perishable reward which we receive on this earth and the future or imperishable reward which we receive in heaven. Both rewards are good but only one is to be sought after wholeheartedly. You guessed right it is the imperishable one. This does not mean God is against immediate rewards as you will see in this post, often times He will use those to bless us, but the future reward is where our focus should be.

The immediate reward as I call is something that you receive in this life while on earth. Immediate reward can be received by men or by God. The immediate reward received by men is usually a result of winning a competition or showing exemplary achievement in a field. The immediate reward can come in various ways, it can be a prize you win at a competition, a prize you get for doing your job well irrespective of the field. In movies you have the Oscars, Golden Globe and more. In Music you have the Grammys. Every field as a reward; sports, medicine, engineering, etc. We love to be rewarded for the things we have done and so we often will fight for it, compete each other and sadly sabotage each other simply to get rewarded at the end. Now, although human reward is sometimes given to people that did not deserve the reward, we can be sure that God’s reward is given justly and to the one who has done what was required. It is also important to realize that rewards are not a gift although they are given. You actually have to ‘work’ for a reward. No one receives a prize by not entering a competition, competing and winning it. No one receives a prize by simply participating in a contest, no, you win a prize by being the best, by following the rules of the competition to the T. If the competition says, the first one gets the prize, then if you are the first one you get the prize. There is no ambiguity in that. Immediate rewards by God on the other hand do not escape that rule, they are usually a result of your faithfulness to God or your obedience to Him. The bible is full of examples of such. With God, you win a reward by following His rules book. I love the story of David for this very reason (yes, I know, another example from David, but his life make these truths alive), he (David) was anointed to be king over Israel way before he actually became one. But, to get that reward of kingship, David had to be faithful to God. His faithfulness provided him with this immediate prize while on earth. Even though, God had promised that David would be king, it is the unwavering faith of David that granted him the reward of the kingdom. He saw many of the blessings God promised to Israel come alive in his own life (defeat from his enemies, being the head and not the tail, having a flourishing offspring, a kingdom that was established, etc.). The beauty of the immediate reward we have from God is that it is one that we are able to enjoy and enjoy thoroughly (1 Chronicles 12:40). God’s reward on earth is accompanied by joy and peace. Perhaps the most obvious of immediate rewards from God is the reward of faith in Him. When we believe in Christ, we are rewarded immediately with a status change and the Holy Spirit of God. We become a new creature, the old has gone, the new has come and we now have the mind of God dwelling in us (2 Corinthians 5). And that reward does not come later rather it is instantaneous. This quickest reward is also a long lasting one and the most important but unfortunately, we seldom see the person of the Holy Spirit as being a great reward or our greatest reward. In the world today, you may receive a reward and not even be happy for it. It is quite puzzling and paradoxical but that is the human nature for you. The reward you get on this earth is not long lasting, it is momentary, it might not even satisfy you and the satisfaction it provides is ephemeral and quickly forgotten. Sometimes, those rewards remind you of the pressure you felt to compete and win, the difficulties you endured, the missed moments you sacrificed, and then receiving the reward does not feel worth it once you get it in your hands or it does not bring you the satisfaction that you had anticipated. That can be crushing. In Matthew 6, Jesus talks about the reward you get from both God and men when you give to the needy. He says that the right way to give to the needy to receive a reward from God is to do it in a way that is not seen (in the secret), not announcing it to get the praise from men or other recognitions that might come from it. Doing that, ensures you receive your reward from God which will be full. Notice though that not doing so still gives you a reward, but it is not a lasting one, it will simply be the recognition from men which will make you happy for a little while and will be gone tomorrow. Not so with the future reward – the reward from God. His reward is permanent, it will be a reward worth the pain, the sacrifice, the loss the loneliness and everything in between it might have cost you. It will be a glorious reward, one that you cannot even fathom or imagine. A reward that will actually satisfy you and make you see your God in a new light, enjoying Him even more. God’s reward is as sure as Jesus’ defeat over death and the devil is. Revelation is a book of encouragement, continually reminding us to keep going, to keep competing and standing strong in the midst of adversity, trials, persecutions and pain because the end is victorious for us. Our God has already defeated Satan – his enemy – and the marriage of the Lamb, the Great banquet and the celebration await. Moreover, our individual rewards, our own little crowns that we will receive from God are not ones that can be corroded, no, they are ones that remain beautiful and not made from a corrosive material. So, together, let us keep on running the good race marked out for us as Paul said, not searching rewards of this life that are temporary, unsatisfying, and prone to theft rather, let us seek rewards that are in Heaven where moth cannot destroy (Luke 12:33-34). I often wonder what that day will be like, to finally be standing before the Lord face to face to receive the crown of life promised. The joy will be monumental I can only imagine. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about that. Unlimited joy. According to Paul and James it is something worth persevering for –your reward in heaven which is imperishable.