Receiving God's Reward

"Today's Devotion" For February 17, 2005

Read: Matthew 6:16-18
II Samuel 12:13-23

RECEIVING GOD’S REWARD

"...and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Mt. 6:18b)

"No good deed goes unpunished." Now that doesn't seem right, does it? Of course we realize that whoever coined that phrase was saying it "tongue-in-cheek." All too often, after someone has done something good and worthwhile for someone, an organization, or a cause, and something goes wrong, the giver ends up being associated with the failure. It's a "risk" that seems to be a part of giving. Of course, many are willing to take this "risk" given that we live in a world where there are often great rewards for good deeds performed, heroic acts accomplished, and political favors rendered. When people make any type of sacrifice for the "good of the cause" it's quite reasonable to expect they'll receive a reward and will advertise their "sacrifice" for all the world to see. The reward might be money, fame, fortune, power, or any number of other coveted rewards.

In Matthew's Gospel reading for today, Jesus draws our attention to the third pillar of Jewish piety, fasting. From the Old Testament we learn that God wanted people to fast on the Day of Atonement as a sign of repentance and sorrow over sin. In the II Samuel 12 reading today, David gives us an example of the intent of fasting--repentance and sorrow over one's sin, seeking God's mercy, and, ultimately, His forgiveness. Unfortunately, in Jesus' day, fasting had become a visible practice of self-congratulation and self-promotion as to one's piety and religiosity. Those who were fasting did so openly, putting on ashes and donning sackcloth, looking gaunt and not cleaning up, and generally setting themselves up as paragons of pious and religious fervor. It wasn't so different from those who have recently announced what they're "giving up for Lent," as we've entered this year's Lenten observance. The whole idea of repentance and sorrow for one's sins has been replaced by the idea that others need to know the "faster" is "religious" and making "sacrifices" for God.

Fasting had become an act and display of meritorious proportions to the people of Israel. It flew in the face of its intended purpose to express sorrow over sin and urgency in prayer. The intended focus of fasting was to focus one's attention on God and His Will. When people fasted with the intention of gaining sympathy, or attention, or accolades for their "piety" from others, the spiritual value of fasting was non-existent. At the same time, those who fasted with a focus on seeking God's Will and paying attention to their relationship with God, gained great spiritual, emotional, and psychological benefits from the practice.

Redeemed in Christ, we hear and heed Jesus' call to live a life that is pleasing and right in the eyes of our Father in heaven. He died on the Cross, bearing our sins upon His own head, so that we might have every opportunity to receive the Father's grace, mercy, love and forgiveness through Him. Redeemed in Christ, the Christian's life is motivated by faith and love for others in Jesus' name. Because of God's great and marvelous grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness toward us, we respond with prayer and sacrificial giving and living in Jesus' name. We live our lives serving others in Jesus' name, sharing God's great love in Christ with them. We take advantage of every opportunity God gives us to deepen our relationship with Him by serving others, and we do so without fanfare or the desire to be noticed by others. Our "sacrifice" of ourselves in response to God's sacrifice for us in Christ, provides us with a marvelous spiritual exercise that strengthens our faith, our service to God, and our witness to salvation in Christ to others.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for giving me ways to practice my faith and to be strengthened in my relationship with You. Let me never put my devotion to You on display for others to be impressed. Lead me, rather, to perform my personal acts of devotion and sacrifice so that they are known only to You. Help me to see and understand how important it is to receive Your reward to me, and how useless and meaningless is the recognition of others. In Jesus' name precious and most holy name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.