based on the LGG Study – Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w2d4
Scripture: Revelation 22:12-13
Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last , the beginning and the end!
True confessions … I am not one that has ever been comfortable with the topic of rewards in or for the Christian life, Don’t get me wrong, I know Jesus speaks of the rewards, and I do consider them an exciting part of what is to come, and let’s face it I would much rather be given His reward than the punishment unbelievers will face; however, I believe we must be careful to not focus on the reward and lose sight of the One who is bringing the reward with Him. Perhaps my aversion to the thought of earning rewards stems from my overly competitive personality. Board games, card games, sporting events, and nearly anything else that can be turned into a competition bring out the competitor in me … or at least it used to. At some point in the past several years (actually much further back than that), I realized just how obnoxious my overzealousness to win was – actually, I believe it was God who pointed it out to me, and He’s been working on me ever since. But, just in case you see me in overdrive in one of the aforementioned situations – please remember – God’s not finished with me yet. 😊💜
My point of sharing this less-than-flattering part of my testimony was simply meant to be a segue into the Love God Greatly devotion for today. However, when I read the Devo (after writing the segue), It let me know I’m not the only one who doesn’t like to talk about the idea of being rewarded for our good works/faithfulness. The devotion also helped me realize there might be more reason for my reluctance to dwell on the rewards to come. They suggest that because “we know we can never earn our salvation, a free gift from God, we tend to get nervous when the topic of rewards is brought up.” I don’t know that this truly applies to me as much as my competitive nature, but I do hope you’ll keep reading to see and be as encouraged as I was.
To be clear, our salvation is not a reward. It is a gift, not of works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9). You can read more about this in The More We Know section below.
Focusing on my future with Jesus helps me endure today.
LGG Journal: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p 84
INTO THE WORD
In some of our Christian circles, we don’t talk much about this idea of being rewarded for our good works. I think it makes us feel uncomfortable. Since we know we can never earn our salvation, a free gift from God, we tend to get nervous when the topic of rewards is brought up.
But in Revelation 22:12–13, Jesus specifically says that when He returns, He will repay us according to how we lived our lives. What a comfort this promise is for those who have suffered greatly for the name of Jesus. It is encouraging to remember that nothing done for God is ever forgotten or wasted. Jesus sees the sacrifices made. He sees the injustices inflicted on those who have taken a stand in His name. He knows the things that have been taken from His people, and He has not forgotten. Because Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, He has seen it all, beginning and end, and nothing has escaped His notice. He will reward us according to our work.
When Jesus first came to earth, He came as a baby. When Christ comes again, He will come back as the roaring lion, ready to bring judgment upon the earth.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank You for being holy and good. Thank You for seeing it all. You never miss an injustice or heartbreak. Thank You for never wasting any hurt that I go through. Thank you for always bringing good and purpose out of my pain. Even though I pray my primary motivation for obedience will be my love for You, I thank You for the promise of Your heavenly rewards. I look forward to the day when I can lay them all down at Your holy feet. May I do everything for Your glory. Until the glorious day when I see You face to face, I will continue to pray come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
The More We Know
The judgment seat of Christ does not determine our salvation; that matter was settled by Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (1 John 2:2) and our faith in Him (John 3:16). All our sins are forgiven, and there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24, emphasis added).
The Crown of Life
Second Corinthians 5:10 states: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” This is often referred to as the “Bema seat,” and is not the same as the judgment given to those who reject Christ. Unbelievers will be judged at the great white throne and be sentenced to eternal suffering in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).
Me From the Inside Out 