Weekend, June 24, 2023
Heavenly Rewards
For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT)
If you’ve ever watched awards shows on television, then you know that sometimes people walk away with multiple wins. We see photos of them at the press conference afterward, holding their armfuls of trophies.
We might envision Heaven that way, because the Bible talks about a heavenly awards ceremony. The apostle Paul wrote, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT).
We imagine people like Corrie Ten Boom, Jim Elliot, and Billy Graham going down the aisle at this heavenly awards ceremony time and again to accept their awards. And I am confident that God will bless and reward them because they faithfully used their gifts.
But we also may be in for some surprises on that final day. For instance, we may hear the name Maude Firkenbinder called out time and again. She faithfully did what God called her to do. By the way, I don’t know anyone by that name. But the fictitious Maude Firkenbinder represents a lot of people out there.
While Billy Graham was out preaching, they were praying. While Corrie Ten Boom and Jim Elliot were doing what God called them to do, they were fulfilling the calling God gave to them.
If you are a mom, God may not have called you to preach, but He has called you to be a mother to your children. He’s called you to teach them in the way of the Lord and to love them. And maybe you’ve made some sacrifices to do that.
Or, maybe God has called you to labor in a relatively obscure place. No one knows your name. No one knows what you do. But God knows. And in that final day He will reward you accordingly.
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The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood books in the Bible. In The Revelation Answer Book, respected prophecy teacher Mark Hitchcock walks through key questions about Revelation in a clear and engaging Q&A format. You’ll explore topics like the mark of the beast, the identity of the 144,000, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, and the return of Jesus, all with solid biblical insight and a focus on hope. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
