NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

GENESIS 45:3-11,15

1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-38

LUKE 6:27-38

REFLECTION

Reward of faithfulness is the theme for our reflection. To be faithful means to remain loyal and steadfast. God rewards those who remain loyal and steadfast to Him in all situations. We shall discuss two rewards of faithfulness:

Earthly (physical) reward of faithfulness

Heavenly or eternal (spiritual) reward of faithfulness

Firstly, when we are faithful to God or remain loyal and steadfast to Him in all situations, especially in the most turbulent and trying moment of our lives, our reward of faithfulness begins on earth. It is important to note that our faithfulness is tested in two very important dimensions, faithfulness in loving God and faithfulness in loving our fellow human beings. Most often than not, many believers fumble or struggle when it comes to faithfulness in loving our fellow human beings, especially those who have offended us. In the third Scripture reading Jesus admonishes us to “love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36) In the first Scripture reading we observe that Joseph was faithful to God by not yielding to temptations but of equal importance, He loved and forgave his enemies who were his own blood brothers. Joseph received his reward of faithfulness through elevation to an enviable office in the whole of Egypt. It is interesting to not that he came to Egypt a slave and foreigner, with absolutely nothing. Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 45:5-8, that “…do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years, there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. “. My dear friend in the Lord, no matter how difficult the situation is, remain faithful to God, when your enemies at your workplace or in your own family hit at you with all the weapons in their arsenals, remain focused, prayerful and faithful to God for in His own time, He shall reward and glorify you. Surely, “… those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

When we have remained faithful to God on earth, the second and most important reward of our faithful to God is our salvation or eternal life. This is captured by Apostle Paul in the second Scripture reading when he wrote that “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Beloved in the Lord, let us not be faithful to God only because of the physical or earthly reward but let us most importantly be faithful to Him because of the eternal life, peace and joy we seek in Christ Jesus.

In summary beloved in the Lord, let us remain faithful to God by loving Him and our fellow human beings including our enemies. If we are faithful to God we shall receive both the earthly (physical) and heavenly (spiritual) rewards. May the Holy Spirit empower us to remain faithful in all situations to please God and receive both our earthly and heavenly rewards. Amen