Thanks for stopping by! This is Day 11 of my 2015 “31 Days Reflecting on God” series. Find the rest over here.
Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Faith is letting go of what I think is best and believing God’s word over my own wisdom.
All through the Bible, God’s premise for our obedience is our own good. He created us so he knows how we function best and gives us guidelines to obey. He doesn’t want little puppets but he wants our best. His commands lead us in the best path.
In our family we say, “Life goes better when we obey.” (I stole that from a podcast.) It’s true. When a child obeys his mom and doesn’t run into the street, his life goes a lot better for him. God himself tells children, “Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you.”
A watchmaker makes watches to tell time and to be an attractive accessory. He doesn’t intend for them to be used to wash dishes or paint houses.
God designed us to work in a certain way and he lays that out clearly in the Bible. We function our best when we love him and seek him first, then appreciate who he created us to be and then to love others around us. When we choose to follow our own way, we quit walking by faith and wander off the path that leads to life.
God isn’t up in heaven weighing our good and bad deeds in a scale to see if we measure up so he can give us a treat at the end of the day.
But when we walk by faith, obeying him, he rewards us so richly. The life he designed for us is amazing and when we take him at his word we get to tap into the treasures he has for us.
I have seen people who have suffered deep pain respond in two ways. There are those who keep believing God and hold onto his truth even in the darkest times and those who turn away and make excuses. Faith doesn’t make the pain go away but it brings the reward of peace and strength and hope in a new day. Lack of faith strips away any taste of the rewarding life God offers and leaves misery and despair.
God actually wants to reward everyone. He doesn’t have favorites. But believing him and living like it is our gateway to his reward. He promises that we will find him when we seek him. And like he told Abraham in Genesis 15, ultimately, he himself is our greatest reward.