What we do for Christ is noticed by Christ, in fact, everything that we do, what every single person does in this life is being recorded. (Eccl. 12:14) No one will have an excuse on the day of accounting, when it is just you and the Lord Jesus Christ standing there, when He will ask the questions and you will give the answers.
I have met few believers in my day who look forward to that moment in great anticipation, few who can think of no greater time in their life save for the moment they came to the cross, instead what I recognize in them is dread, apprehension, a fear within them that they do not want to face. Whether an individual stands before Him a few moments after their death, or it is a thousand years from now at the great white throne judgement, (Rev. 20:11) we will each be in His presence, and every one of us, one at a time, will be judged, will be required to give an account. “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:18)
We all have trepidations concerning that juncture in our lives, and here I speak only to the children of God, and well we should, for it is the way that we have either glorified God or fretted and wasted our lives away on selfish pleasures and cares that will be examined. It is our conscience, our words, our deeds that will be looked at, but above all it will be our hearts, did we spend our time in servitude here on earth, our very short time indeed compared to eternity, in reverence, praise and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)
The motive with which we proceed is more important to our Lord than the deed, our heart attitude is what is weighed, and herein is where the problem can rest with many who profess Christ as Savior, they either tend to think that an hour on Sunday morning is enough, or they go to the opposite end of the spectrum, they will work constantly, trying to find His favor in the amount instead of the quality of their hearts desires. You have met them both, and both are incorrect, for they have not found the balancing point, they have not learned to rest in the Lord. “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jer. 17:10) There are rewards waiting for every born-again believer, not everyone in heaven has a treasure house, not all will wear crowns, but even unprofitable servants have a place in the Master’s house. There was a pillar of fire that lead the children of Israel (Exodus 13:21) through the wilderness, Elijah was taken up in a fiery chariot, (2 Kings 2:11) the sacrifices were consumed by fire on the alter, and some will be saved, if only by fire. (1 Cor. 3:15) We are children of fire, and far too many are building quite the bonfire with their wood, hay, and stubble.
How you feel about Christ is of little concern to Him if there are no fruits of your endeavors while you are here, for works without faith is dead, (James 2:26) if the works that you do have no conviction in your heart, if you are performing them only because of your own personal desires, a merit based system, then your works are just as dead. There is no fine line we need to try to tread, the path is clear to all who will but look upon it, submission, submission to the work and will of God is the only way for a man to be pleasing in the eyes of the Lord, for it reveals our heart to Him, it tells Him that we see Him as Sovereign, as Lord. “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.” (Prov. 16:2)
We may believe we are serving because of our bright and cheery demeanor, because our church attendance record is nearly perfect, because of this and that, they may seem the proper way to us, but are your deeds, your words, your heart in accordance with what the Scriptures say a man of God should be, is to be. The heart is what the Lord will weigh my friends, and the heart of man is only heavy because of his love for Christ, all of his motives are for the glory of God. “Thy will be done” is the standard they carry, “Here I am, send me” are the words on their lips, and when they are sent, they perform as profitable servants, with no other desire than to lift up the name of Jesus. If you want to serve for these reasons, you will be used, if you serve with a heartfelt desire for no other reasons than these, you will be profitable, and your rewards will be great.
The cheerful giver that the Lord loves is not only giving of his finances, but of his entire life, every fiber of his being is filled with a desire to be pleasing in the sight of the Lord, this person is not afraid to be noticed by Christ, yet he does not seek it either, for he knows that the deeds are not accomplished by him, but through him, “We can do nothing of ourselves,” (2 Cor. 3:5) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13) “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” (Prov. 15:33) If you want to be the greatest, be the least, and do it with a willing heart, the heart of an enthusiastic servant, perform every task, say every word with the humility that you are being used by Almighty God for His glory, no greater task can be set before a man, no greater reward can be given a man of God than to know that he is profitable to the kingdom of God, that he is pleasing in the sight of his Master.
I cannot describe to you how important it is for me to hear from my Savior, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” my eyes well-up at the thought of those words, spoken by the Creator of all reality when He looks at me and speaks them, for I am not worthy to receive them. Humility comes before honor my friends, and there is only One who is worthy of all the glory, honor, and praise. Let me help you to set your mind at ease here, if you are a profitable servant if you “Do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God,” (Micah 6:8) Let me put a picture in your mind. Do not envision yourself standing before a scowling Christ, ready to give you a good talking to, but instead imagine a peaceful scene, just you and Jesus Christ are sitting together on your day of accounting, and He has a smile on His face, He is overjoyed that you are finally home with Him. Look forward to this moment, anticipate it with great joy, you will be presented to the Father in great love, an obedient, willing servant who has served well.
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)
