Enter into the joy of your Lord.

We make choices to make our lives here more enjoyable and comfortable, but our life here is so temporary. I think it is easier to focus on life here because we have some certainty of what it looks like. Most of us know we will work in a particular career, retire, have relationships, family, cars, houses, vacations, etc- so we focus on making those things as positive and fulfilling as possible.

It’s more difficult to be eternity- focused because we hardly have a clue what that looks like, so it’s hard to make decisions when we are unsure what they will produce. All we can hold onto is what the Bible promises and have faith that it’s true.

“Let them do good, that they will be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
I Timothy 6:18-19

“And behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.”
Revelation 22:12

Another version says, “To repay each one for what he has done.”

I don’t know how anyone can read this next verse and not freeze for a moment… and then sit in contemplation.

“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.”
2 Corinthians 5:10

I want to spend my time, energy and resources on what matters in eternity, not what matters here on earth. When I consider standing before my Father, I want to know that what He trusted me with, I was a good steward of. This creates a God-fearing humility in my heart. When I lose focus of this, it’s easy to lose the fear. The first thing God requires of us (Deuteronomy 10) is to fear the Lord our God. Then, to walk in all His ways and to love Him. To serve Him with all our heart and mind. I think when I maintain the heart posture of fear and humility, the rest falls into place, but when I am earth-minded and self-focused, I lose the humility and fear quickly. Which scares me.

When what we know and have control of, is what’s in front of us, it’s easy for that to be our focus. I don’t want to just live my life to enjoy the comforts, that will soon be gone. I want to build up treasure in heaven.

“Seek those things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:1-2

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21

I know I am throwing out a lot of scripture but I’ve been digging into cross- referencing since my hermeneutics class and I just can’t help it. It’s so good.

“His master said to him, ‘well done good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Matthew 25:21

Are you kidding me? To hear that.. “Enter into the joy of your Lord,” I don’t know what makes a heart beat faster than to imagine hearing the Lord say that. It forces me to ask myself, what are these gifts that the Lord has given me? Am I being a good steward of them? Or am I doing what’s easy, what’s comfortable, not allowing Him to stretch me, use me in bigger way?

I think I have lived most of my life being “what-if” fearing instead of God-fearing.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Colossians 3:23-24

In Hebrews, all the people stepped out in faith, they went to where God led them. They didn’t get an earthly reward. They didn’t play it safe. God will always provide us with something better. Nothing bad has ever happened to me when I gave my best to the Lord. There is always going to be a pull to live by safety, security, comfort, pleasure, luxury rather than faith.

One of the questions the pastor in South Africa asked repeatedly, was what the motive behind the desire or decision was. This question trips me up every time I ask myself it. Every time I truly believe, in whatever the given situation is, that I have pure motives, that it is Spirit led… I find a self-seeking motive mixed in! I’m like what the heck! Emotions are sneaky, our heart is so deceitful and really cannot be trusted. I have to put my desires and decisions under multiple microscopes. It really makes you stop in your tracks, come humbly before the Lord, admit that yes once again I have this double-mindedness, this flesh and spirit battle and I just need Him to sort it out because I am over here confused and deceived once again by this heart that needs continual renewal and transformation. It’s like He never wants us to stop needing Him or something.