Max Lucado - Your Reward is Coming
From a tiny corner in my home to a place in your heart, I hope God blesses you. God bless you, Max Lucado, here inviting you to hang out for a few minutes and talk about eternal life. Eternal life. If you don’t want to or you can’t, I get it. Let us know how to pray before you slip out. But if you can, stay around and think about this verse: «For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.»
I think you’ll be glad you stayed because I want to talk about a wonderful moment that awaits you in heaven, and that is the moment that God rewards you for the good things done in this life. The scripture says, «He will bring our deepest secrets to light, and he will reveal our private motives, and then God will give everyone whatever praise is due» (1 Corinthians 4:5). Can you imagine that moment? Now, we’re saved by grace, but our deeds will be recognized. We’re not saved by our deeds, but our deeds will be recognized. We’ll be face to face with the God of the universe, and we will hear him say, «Well done, good and faithful servant.»
The scripture says God is fair, and he will not forget the work that you have done and the love that you have shown for him by helping his people. Do you know that scripture? Hebrews 6:10. You see, our just God will recognize the faithful stewards of life. If you invest your gifts to his good, he’ll give you more gifts in eternity. If you enlist your talents to his honor, he’s going to give you more talents to be invested in eternity. You see, the same pen that records our impure thoughts also makes note of our pure thoughts.
Again, that scripture I read, «He will bring our deepest secrets to light, and he will reveal our private motives, and then God will give everyone whatever praise is due.» I am so excited that someday you’re going to hear God say, «Well done, well done!» That moment will make your struggles evaporate. God’s going to walk you through your life day by day, moment by moment, year by year, month by month, and as if a video replays your life, he will issue commendation after commendation. He’s noticed all those things that you have done: that time you gave up your seat on the bus, «Well done!» he’ll say. That time you greeted the new student in your classroom, «Well done! Fine job!» You forgave your brother; you encouraged your co-worker; you stayed awake in a preacher’s sermon. «I’m so proud of you! That was difficult.»
You know, for many, many years, I’ve had the same editor. I’ve written a lot of books. Liz Haney has been careful to give me not just corrections but also applause. She recognizes and salutes my good efforts with terms that appear in the margin of the manuscript, like «I’m smiling as I read this,» «This paragraph works,» «What a strong verb!» And you know what? I’ll leave those comments up there for a long time. I don’t take them out because I love to read the accolades. I catch myself reading and re-reading them, maybe even circling them. I’ve been tempted to frame some. We love to have our hard efforts noticed, and God knows this.
And God loves you, friend. God noticed the sacrifice of the early Christians; that’s why we have this scripture in the Book of Revelation: none of what they’ve done is wasted. God blesses them for it all in the end (Revelation 14:13). None of what you’ve done is wasted either, my friend. None of it! God records, and he rewards your goodness. It’s only fair that he does, and he is a God of fairness. He is a just God, and he will declare both the pardon of his people and he will also declare the service of his servants. Isn’t that good to know? You know your service is remembered by God, and you will not regret any work that you do for God on earth! You won’t!
Somebody asked me recently, «What do you want on your tombstone?» I thought of a verse, not from scripture, but something someone wrote in a poem: «Life is short, and then it’s past, and only what’s done for Christ will last.» That’s true. You know, only what’s done for Christ will last, so do everything you can for Christ. Why don’t you? Do you feel like your best years have passed you by? That’s hogwash! You’re going to do your best work in heaven. Do you regret wasting seasons of life on foolish pursuits? Well, I do too, but you know what? We can stop our laments because we have an eternity to make up for lost opportunity. Are you puzzled by the challenges of these days? Well, see yourself as a raw jewel and God as a lapidary, and he’s polishing you for your place in his eternal kingdom. Let’s not see this life, friend! Let’s not see this life as the Kentucky Derby. The truth is we haven’t even arrived for the big race. The big moments lie ahead on the other side of the grave.
Five hundred years ago, sailors feared the horizon. Sail too far and risk falling off the edge of the earth, they thought, and common wisdom of the ancients warned against any type of courage in the face of the unseen. So did the monument at the Strait of Gibraltar. Did you know at one time the Spaniards, when they held dominion over both sides of the strait, put a message at the narrowest margin where Africa can see Europe? They erected the Pillar of Hercules, this huge marker, which bore in its stone the three-word Latin slogan «Ne plus ultra,» or «No more beyond.» But then came the voyage of 1492, the discovery of Columbus, the discovery of the New World, and it swung open the western doors of Spain. They took the Latin phrase «no more beyond,» and you know what they did? They removed the first word and impressed this slogan into their coins: «More beyond!»
Friend, will you take the «no» off of your future? There is more beyond this life than this life! There is more beyond this life. In this life, you’re going to still be you, but you’re going to be better you! Your works will matter even more. Are you important? Are you significant? Only important enough to live forever with God. That’s what he thinks about you! Besides that, you ain’t much. Hey, hang in there, friend! One day at a time. Be strong, but don’t think for a second that your life is just this life. The best is yet to be!