My Dear Child, You're Not Home Yet!

"Today's Devotion" For September 23, 2005

Read: I Corinthians 1:1-9; II Corinthians 5:1-10

MY DEAR CHILD, YOU’RE NOT HOME YET!

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Lk.12:34)

Do you want to know you're appreciated? If you're like most of the rest of us, you're probably responding, "Yes! Of course I do!" Would you be surprised if someone were to respond, "No! I don't want any appreciation!"? Most of us would find such a response quite dubious and, perhaps, the response of someone with some deeper issues and concerns. For the most part, it's quite safe for us to say that everyone likes to be appreciated. It's human nature. We like to be appreciated for the things we do, especially those we do for other people. For the most part it's probably reasonable for us to note that it's the oddball who doesn't like being acknowledged and appreciated. And it's not that we might do things just for the accolades, although many people do, but rather that each of us just plain likes to think that receiving a "thank you" is a pretty neat thing.

While receiving a "thank you" for an act of kindness or an acknowledgment for a job well done is valuable and wonderful - a gift from God to encourage us along life's way - they are not the "stuff" that Christians are made of. Earthly accolades are wonderful. They lift our spirits, provide encouragement for our continued service to others, and give us a sense of accomplishment and worth. Yet, rather than being motivated by such things, we are motivated to such action by God's great love for us. As He has loved us so also do we love others in His name. Because we are His in Christ Jesus we can't help ourselves; it's part of our "new nature" in Jesus.

At the same time, however, we also face the daunting challenge of our sinful nature. Receiving reward, payment, acknowledgment, and recognition for our work, our service, and our acts of kindness is very much a part of the human condition. Rather than being truly altruistic about our "service" to others, the drive to receive "payment" for our "good deeds" can be overwhelming. Our sinful nature doesn't like settling for simple "thankyous" but instead prefers the more substantial forms of "thank you" mentioned earlier. It's easy, even for Christians, to feel like we're not appreciated for the good we do because no one is shouting our name or publishing our pedigree. That same sinful nature also tends to lead us to expect God to also reward us for our good deeds and service. What our sinful nature wants us to forget is that our reward - our treasure - isn't here on earth. Rather, according to Jesus' own promise to us, our treasure is found in heaven. It's a treasure - a reward - that is incorruptible and can never be taken away.

Do your remember the old saying, "Home is where the heart is?" While there's great truth in that statement, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us a different perspective on the "heart" aspect when He says: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This is a lesson driven home quite poignantly by the following story from the mission field of a century ago:

A missionary who had served overseas for 40 years was forced to return home to the United States because his health was failing. He arrived in New York on the same ocean liner that was returning Teddy Roosevelt home from an African safari. There he saw a huge crowd at the doc waiting to give Roosevelt a grand reception. As the missionary watched the hubbub and commotion and heard the accolades and cheers of the crowd, he began to feel both envious and sorry for himself. He arrived alone. There was no one to greet him. In a fit of despair he prayed, "Lord, I've given my life to serve You as a missionary and now not a soul welcomes me home." Hearing the pain and sorrow of His servant, our gracious Father replied, "My dear child, you're not home yet!"

Dear brothers and sisters - We're "Not home yet" either.

Prayer: Father, by the power of Your Word and Spirit help me to overcome the temptation to expect rewards for the good things I do for others. Help to follow Jesus' example of selfless service to others. Let Him be a reminder to me that I am here to serve You and to serve others in Jesus' name, sharing in all things Your great love for everyone. Keep me focused at all times that my only true and meaningful reward and treasure is a result of Your grace in Christ, to be found in heaven and not my work. Lead me to continue to serve others in Your name, not for reward but because of Your great love for me. In Your precious name I ask this. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

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