Mensa Otabil - God Rewards Our Loyal Labour
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God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He rewards those whose confidence is in Him, and we must continue to trust Him because He is present at all times. He rewards our work. God has said that work is the means for us to earn a living, so each human being will work somewhere and be rewarded for it. Work is not a curse; work is a blessing. It is our means of earning a livelihood. However, many times the work we do is not directly for ourselves; we work for a company, someone, or the government. We put a lot of effort into our work and expect those we work for to reward us. At times, we question whether they truly appreciate what we do or if they value our worth. If you do not manage that expectation well, you may become hurt, bitter, and stop working altogether.
I want to discuss how God rewards us for the work of our hands. Ruth was a very young widow who gave up her own ambitions to serve her mother-in-law. It seemed like a dangerous step for a young lady to abandon her own desires, but Ruth was rewarded in the Bible. Her story is in the Book of Ruth. Despite the unlikely circumstances, she eventually met a nice young man who married her and introduced her to a new life of joy. The reason the man chose to marry Ruth is found in Ruth 2:11–12. The man’s name is Boaz, and Boaz said to her, «It has been fully reported to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given to you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.»
Please note verse 12 again: «The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given to you by the Lord God of Israel.» When you have this mindset that the one who truly rewards you is God—He is the one who repays you—while you may work for a company or someone else, do not make that your source of reward. The Lord is your reward.
Ruth worked for Naomi, but it was not Naomi who rewarded her; it was God who rewarded her. I want to encourage you: many times, you may feel that people do not appreciate or value the contributions you make, but your reward is the Lord. He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, and I declare to you that God is a real rewarder. He will reward you, repay you, and you will receive far more than you have invested in other people’s lives. I am Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom—peace and life to you.