The Very Great Reward
“Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1
I love the word of God. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but it was really my summer at Greystone that got me to this place. I had grown up a Christian, read my Bible regularly, but for the very first time, I found myself falling in love with the word of God. I found myself hungry for it.
It’s like I couldn’t get enough. I devoured scripture. Things I’d read one hundred times before now seemed alive, real and rich and true. And I ate it up.
And since that summer six years ago, my time with Jesus has always ebbed and flowed. Like anything, there have been lush, life-giving, mountain top seasons as well as seasons filled with valleys of dry, dead bones.
Having lived through many seasons of spending consistent time in the word (and not), I know one thing: I always find myself more at peace, more myself, and more connected to God when I make stillness and time with Him a priority. There really is no substitute. There’s not even a substitute for his Word.
In Genesis chapter 15, the LORD comes to Abram in a vision and says, “Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (15:1)
And then, even as Abram continues to doubt and look for tangible symbols of God’s favor, God STILL blesses him above and beyond as he promises him the great inheritance of a son and offspring to number the stars of the heavens.
And that’s the crazy thing. Before the gifts, before even the good feelings and peace that come with spending time with God, HE is the reward. The very great reward. He’s the reason why I do it. He’s the reason why I read my Bible; He’s the reason I wake up at the crack of dawn; He’s the reason I have to keep going. Because when it becomes about me, it becomes a mess.
And the truth is that none of it was ever really about me. All the glory belongs to him. And he’s worthy of so much more than I give him, even in my best moments. He’s worthy of all of my heart, all of my time, all of my attention, all of my affection.
So what do we do when we get to the dry seasons? What do we do if we haven’t read our Bible or whispered a prayer in days, weeks, or even years? What if God doesn’t show up? What if it’s all just a facade?
Here’s the truth of the gospel: Jesus always shows up. Even when we can’t see the fruit of time with him in our tangible now, He’s still working, still showing up and creating for us an inheritance that’s far beyond all we could ever ask or imagine. And the inheritance is himself!
I don’t want to wait anymore. My souls has tasted of the sweetest love and I just can’t walk away. It isn’t worth it to walk away, even when it doesn’t feel worth it. Trust me, spending time with Jesus is always worth it. And all it takes is us making space for him to show up.