REWARDS (6)                                                               Matthew 20:1-16

So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.  (v16)

If Jesus thanks me, it is because He is gracious and generous, not because I am deserving. In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus told a parable about labourers who worked different lengths of time but all received the same wages. At the end of the day when the workers who had worked all day questioned the land owner’s fairness, he said, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?  (v5) The passage reminds me that God can be as generous as He wants with what belongs to Him. If I argue with His amazing goodness, it may be because goodness is lacking in my own heart. Then one day I reencountered a familiar verse that changed my thinking on this matter once and for all. Meet The Rewarder. You’ll find this verse in Hebrews, nestled in a passage about heroes who pleased God with their faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him,” the writer says, “for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder.” (11:6) If you look up that word rewarder in the Greek, you’ll be amazed by what you discover. The word used here is neither misthos nor apodidomai, but an unusual combination of both. In fact Hebrews 11:6 is the only verse in the Bible where you’ll find it used to describe a person. God is the misthos – apodidomai – the rewarder who pays back your wages in return (Bruce Wilkinson)

PRAYER LINE: Fathers, I claim Your promise that You will reward me when I diligently seek You. Please sustain me in my service to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

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God is a rewarder of a diligent worker