I am old enough to have watched men grow old, lose their physical strength and finally die, taking decades to do so. Their pride and ambitions die with them, the place they occupied, the place that they believed held value to their existence, now filled by another who will think the same thoughts, who believe their accomplishments hold merit either to themselves or the world they live in.
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14)
You have read many times here how some who have been born-again are profitable servants, those who will receive rewards in heaven, and so I would like you to contemplate your life up to this point today and determine within yourself who you have been more profitable to, yourself or Christ.
By performing acts we accomplish deeds, the deed done is always for a specific purpose, the intent is the question today. Is the journey worth the destination?
The junkie has one goal that he fixates on, the drunk seeks only the next drink, the architect after the building is completed has little left to desire but the next one to design. Samson could do nothing but fixate on Delila, and it caused his end, the bag of money was Judas Iscariot’s desire, Charismatics strive for that next “Holy Ghost” moment.
“A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” (Matt. 16:4)
What do you really want? If it is indeed to serve Christ, how have you asked Him to use you, what is the desire of your heart, what treasures are you storing up in heaven, can you name them? The crowns that are spoken of in the Scriptures, do you know what it is you are to accomplish if you desire to wear them in your eternal home? What position do you hope to hold in the Kingdom of the Living God, and can you go to the Scriptures, point them out and say, “Here is what the Lord requires of me to be a profitable servant.”
What is more important to you, leaving a mark on the world, a name for yourself in the history books and the memories of those who have yet to taste of death, or to be pleasing in the eyes of the Lord?
You cannot have both.
“If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1st Cor. 3:15) I have heard it said by a man much wiser than myself that there are going to be a lot of people in heaven who smell like smoke. “I wish I would have” is how I phrase it, and all of us in one form or another will say it.
The life of a person crucified with Christ should not end in regret, but to some point it will, because not one of us has ever wholly devoted our lives to the glory of God. The love of money has at times overtaken us, the lust of the flesh at times drives us, the pride of life that we know will one day come to an end keeps us searching for the next accomplishment, while the rewards we think we are laying up in heaven may be no more than fanciful thoughts of our imagination.
No one who believes themselves to be working for God will have anything waiting for them in His Kingdom, only those who have submitted to His will in their lives will.
You do not have to wait for your final day to know the answer to these questions.