Jeremiah 31:16 “Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”
declares the Lord.
There are passages like this scattered throughout the Bible. Right at the end of the Bible, Jesus says, “My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” (Revelation 22:12) For that matter, Paul assures us that “You know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) I think everyone has moments when they feel like they are working for nothing. That is behind the current social phenomenon in China that they call “lying flat,” when young people simply give up on society and essentially do nothing, because they see no benefit in the “rat race.” Actually, “rat race” is a 20th Century expression, but the Biblical references prove that the feeling is as old as mankind. We need a sense of purpose, of accomplishment, or we are tempted to despair and depression. We all have moments of feeling, “What’s the use?” God assures us that He sees everything, and everything will be rewarded appropriately. Often, it’s very much a case of delayed gratification, but God is absolutely dependable. The problems come when we make demands about timing, or when we fixate on problems rather than on God. We should remember that heaven will be absolutely incredible, but this isn’t just a matter of “pie in the sky by and by.” Genuine faithfulness that is aware of God is rewarding in itself. We gain peace and joy when we realize that our labors are given to God and received by Him. Paul assured even slaves, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:6-8) The devil loves to tell us our labors are for nothing, but God says otherwise, and guess who’s lying?
This is something I’ve had to remind myself of countless times. Japan is noted as a “graveyard of missionaries,” because of the very low “rate of return” for evangelism here. In point of fact, my parents’ grave is in Japan, and they certainly didn’t see the huge return they desired. However, they did indeed draw people into God’s kingdom, and those ripples continue to spread. In my own ministry – 45 years as an intentional missionary at this point – I likewise haven’t seen huge results, but there are people who are genuine disciples of Jesus who have been impacted by me. I am to be grateful and satisfied with that. God Himself is my reward, and there can be no greater.
Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the assurance that You can be trusted with absolutely everything. Thank You that I was able to have the first heart check yesterday, including a stress test. Thank You for the helpful, encouraging attitude of the doctor. Thank You that I have heart imaging scheduled for next week. Thank You that the doctor’s schedule fits mine! Help me be a good steward of this body, so that it will serve well for as long as You choose to keep me here, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!
