Your reward for doing your Kingdom Assignment is your Father’s commendation.
No, you don’t work to earn the Father’s love. His love is unconditional. But there is much talk of reward in the Bible. What are these rewards and to whom are they given?
I’ve been to so many awards ceremonies for my kids’ sports activities I need a participation trophy myself. The award that I most noticed and appreciated were the Coach’s Award, given not necessarily to the athlete with the most natural talent, but to the one who just always showed up. The Coach almost always recognized the consistency, the diligence, the steadiness, the teachability of this one, even during the most grueling of practices and games. There might be a trophy or a crown given at the Great Award Ceremony in the Sky, AKA the Bema Seat of Christ, but what I hope for the most is to hear what the Bible phrases as “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but I hear more as “That’s My Girl!”
But there are rewards that go along with. There are many verses about rewards—here are some of them. But I think the most telling passage having to do with our Kingdom Assignment comes from Matthew 25:14-20.
Does your heart yearn to please your Father? Pay attention…
Some Thing is Placed in Your Hand.
“to one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.”
The talents could represent money, or influence, or ability, or whatever. They are all things that are entrusted to us. But they definitely represent opportunity. To invest in these opportunities in order to get results IS the Kingdom Assignment.
What has God placed in your hands?
Some Thing is Expected.
“after a long time the master of those slaves
came and settled accounts with them.”
The master was looking not primarily for results, but for faithfulness. But their faithfulness naturally led to actions which resulted in some measure of results. There was something they could point to as a product of their work.
What results would you expect to see from your faithfulness?
Faithfulness is Rewarded
“…I will put you in charge of many things.”
Now I don’t know what exactly these many things are, but I suspect it has to do with where and how we rule and reign with Jesus in His eternal Kingdom.
You and I are mid-season, in the middle of those grueling practices and games. The trophy is ahead. We are in the trenches of a war, the victory celebration and medals are ahead. We are in the day to day grind of investing into and building our little piece of God’s Kingdom.
What is ahead?
“Well done, good and faithful slave…
Enter into the joy of your master.”
“That’s My Girl!”