Post By: Samantha Ho
The early morning set-ups, after-service cleaning, daily dinner meetings, mid-day encouragements, and the 2 a.m. phone calls. You love to do it. And you love witnessing sanctification happen before your eyes. You enjoy sharing in someone else’s joys and blessings. But in a moment of weakness, your heart wonders, “when will I receive MY reward?” When will I receive my gift of an exciting career, comfortable new house, loving spouse, long awaited child, or joyful family? When?
It really is just a moment, and you know what I’m talking about. You let your guard down for half a second and before you know it, you’re sinking deep into your plushy couch disheartened by your lack of something and the self-centeredness in your mini rebellion against God. You’ll get over it tomorrow, but right now...right now, you just want to be able to be selfish without fighting for something other than yourself.
I can say something about our pride, since that’s the sin our selfishness comes from, but that will be for another time. What I really want to point to is the promise of something better. Something so much greater that we forget about ourselves, our sorrows, and instead are filled with great hope and joy.
Our Inheritance
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:3-7 ESV)
As if being offered a renewed life away from eternal punishment of sin isn’t enticing enough, we are promised a secure inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. This inheritance is kept in heaven for whom? For us.
But this inheritance isn’t where the hope comes from.
Our Faith
We all go through hardship--moments of discomfort and maybe even pain--and we question God’s purpose every time we hurt. But the passage tells us it is only for a little while; necessary so that the genuineness of our faith is tested. Our faith is more precious than anything that fails, fades, leaves, dies...our faith is more precious and valuable than anything and everything.
The best part isn’t just that we have this faith, but that this revelation of our faith results in praise, glory, and honor of Jesus Christ. That is where our hope comes from. Our hope doesn’t come from the promise of a reward for all our hard work or our patience in waiting. Our hope comes from the exhalation of Christ, believing that our faith is tested, genuine, and true.
So as I sink deep into my couch, selfishly asking God for my reward, He selflessly tells me, “Here I am. I am your reward.” We get to spend eternity with God! How awesome is that? In this, I am challenged to not only find rest in the truth of God’s promises for me, but to be completely satisfied in this truth.
Sam is a lover of Jesus, working as a strategic planner by day, and a graphic designer by night. Running off of chocolate, Sam loves to spend her time savoring the intricacies of life with others, immersing herself in words, art, and plenty of good food. She has witnessed the strengths and weaknesses of the Asian American church, and has a heart to help build up this generation to be strong in faith and equipped with Truth and Grace. Her ultimate aim is to encourage others to love and cherish Christ even more.