And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:30)
We recently read a devotional based on this passage. It was by Chris Tiegreen out of his devotional called “At His Feet”.
In the devotional, he talks about how churches do not want to say that we serve God with a reward in mind. The fact is that when we surrender all, we do have a huge reward awaiting us. While it may hurt to give everything up, the ultimate benefits far outweigh the costs. We cherish our friends, family and things, but following the Word of God and living the teachings of God are of much greater worth.
Giving up the things of this world can be difficult. Obviously, it is opposite of what worldly belief values. Our world honours those who strive to be the very best they can be in worldly terms. In a large way, those values do not match what the Bible teaches. Especially in terms of whom we serve.
To quote Chris Tiegreen – “Remind yourself that costly discipleship is really to our benefit – an investment with unparalleled returns. We are to humbly accept the extravagance of His promises.”
When you serve God do so as if you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. When that happens, the things of this world seem not so important.
Who else, can possibly promise a guaranteed return on your investment? The answer is simple – no one – other than Jesus Christ.