“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
Look Away
At the risk of stating the obvious, we sure had a lot of rain this season. Morning after morning, I awakened to dreary gray skies that matched my mood and colored my world with drab. I craved sunshine, blue skies, and puffy clouds skipping on warm breezes. (Isn’t that just like us, to want what we do not have, thereby overlooking the gifts already being given?)
One wet Sunday afternoon, I sat looking out the window when I noticed there were buds swelling on the tree in my front yard. Joy! My own heart swelled with hope, and I smiled at that promise of spring.
This is just like the reward of our inheritance. We know it is coming, for God has promised, but it’s yet in the future. Consider this excerpt from Moses’ life: “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he LOOKED TO THE REWARD” (Hebrews 11:24-26).
The word “looked” in this Scripture literally means to “look away from everything else in order to look intently on one object.” Moses was living out the example of looking away from earthly treasures or gain, away from suffering and loss, and everything else this world gives or takes, looking instead at the reward of inheritance.
Sometimes it’s hard to look away from what is obvious to see a future that we can’t imagine. “Eye has not see, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). But God has promised it, and it will surely come to pass.
If you are walking through a deeply difficult time, or if you are weary, weak, or struggling, please know that a day is coming when all this will pass away and everything will become new. Don’t lose hope: Jesus is coming! He has set aside an inheritance for you! Stay faithful to the end, and look away from everything else so that you can look intently at Him.
“Lord, You have promised an inheritance to Your people. We look to You with expectant, certain hope for all that You will do, and we trust You to bring it to pass. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
The renewal.. the awakening. I love Spring best of all. Thank you, Lord, for that promise of a new start!
Always take the risk of stating the obvious. We should always want to hear what God has to say to us over and over again. Thank you!!
I was thinking about where Moses received his biblical training. It was during a short period of time when his mother was a wet nurse for him. The Pharaoh’s daughter couldn’t teach him anything about God. Such a short time with training but it guided him all his life. Hopefully our time with our children will pay such benefits.