Following Jesus

Have you ever heard the saying “Jesus is the prize”? I have, and I’ve even said it. I would say I believed it with the understanding that I had too. But the reality of it hit my heart differently and deeper recently.

See, in scripture we’re told to “love God and love others”. We’ve been taught to love God first, and then ultimately we love people because of love for God, and that in everything we do, do it for the glory of God. These things aren’t new to me.

But what was weeded out of my heart was the hope that if I love people unto the Lord, or say “yes” to God’s call on my life as unto the Lord, or that anything else that I do unto the Lord, that people will understand my heart, receive it, and everything will go well. This is destructive thinking though because it forgets that Jesus was in fact perfect, He did everything with perfect motives and He walked in perfect obedience and surrender, and still people accused His motives and rejected His love, His salvation and sent Him to a cross.

This revelation that I had is that Jesus really is the prize. We’re never guaranteed that people will understand, or that they will see your heart and actions and believe them, or even that they’ll acknowledge that what you’re doing is for the Lord. We are told that the God who created the universe sees, He understands, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him….and here’s the thing: He is the reward!

Fellowship with Him is the reward. Walking with Him is the reward, more of Himself poured out on us IS the reward. Jesus came, lived a sinless life and then died so that I could be made right with God through the shedding of His blood. He is the prize. Knowing Him, the fellowship of His suffering and the power of His resurrection IS the prize!

If you find yourself in a place of wrestling with the Lord about what He’s calling you to do and the fear that people won’t understand, or will judge your heart and motive, or maybe you’re afraid the price is too high, or that you won’t be able to endure it, I hope this revelation sinks deep into your heart: HE is the prize! Jesus, who laid His life down for you, who took on every punishment that you deserved, is calling you out of the boat and onto the water and He promises He’s there with you. If they accused and rejected the sinless Son of God, they might reject you too. Obey anyway. Follow Him anyway. Because Jesus is the reward, and you’ll never find another like Him!