The most difficult thing for Abram to grasp and for us to grasp as God’s chosen, is the idea that it is God Himself that is the reward. We follow God and trust Him to protect and to provide for our needs. It is a well-placed trust, because God is faithful to supply all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19). But what God was showing Abram and is still showing us, is that His relationship with us is the real reward.
As parents, we do all that we can to prepare ad protect our families. We sacrifice our own comfort and peace to assure that our kids can have any and everything to complete their lives. But the real gift is the relationship. We would not make those same sacrifices for other’s children or strangers. It is our relationship that seals those benefits. God made a covenant with Abram because of Abram’s faith in God and in that relationship. That was the reward.
In our lives, God tells us the same thing. He reminded us that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old is gone and the new is come. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Further, Romans 8 promises if we are in relationship with God, we have 4 promises:
- There is no Condemnation (vs 1)
- Whatever suffering we do now cannot compare to the rewards that lie ahead. (Vs 18)
- All things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose. (vs 28)
- Nothing can separate us from God’s Love. (Vs 39)
Like Abram, our lives are blessed with the great reward of knowing God personally. The benefits of that relationship are immediate, innumerable, and eternal. We need only look at the life of Abram to see that the real and main reward was and is knowing God personally and being in the covenant relationship with our Lord.
God Bless You
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,[a]
your very great reward.[b]”
2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness…18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi[e] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
Walking With God 