LOOK FORWARD – 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 2 Peter 3:14 NKJV
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Hebrews 11:24-26 NIV
Moses too is an example of someone with great expectation for what’s to come. Today’s verses show that he was willing to do the right thing, no matter the cost, because he was looking forward to the reward God had in store for him. Just like with Abraham, Moses’ expectation of the future motivated his present.
This idea is not uncommon. Do any of the examples below sound familiar?
– “I’ve already bought my wedding dress and picked out a caterer! I just know my boyfriend will propose soon!”
– “I don’t want to commit to that trip because we may have a child/new house/car payment by then.”
– “I can certainly make it through this next week of long hours and hard work because the week after I’ll be on vacation!”
What we expect and hope to happen, motivates our present.
What we expect and hope to happen, motivates our present. While proposals, new houses, and vacations can fall through, the Lord’s return will not. Not many things on this earth are certain, but He is guaranteed.
Is your expectation of the Lord’s coming, His judgement, and His reward affecting your present? Investing your time and money in the Lord’s work will pay off. Obedience, even when it’s hard, will be rewarded.
What do you need to do to prepare for the Lord’s return? Are there people you need to share the Gospel with? Are there any investments of time or money that you need to move from earthly things to eternal things? Christ is certainly of much “greater value” than anything we could reap on this earth!
APPLICATION
– Spend some time reflecting over where you invest your time and money. Ask the Lord to show you anything you may need to adjust in order to invest in eternal things.
– Pray about how you might be involved in the ministry of Liberty. Our mission is changing lives, communities, and the world for Jesus Christ. Are you playing a role in that mission? Ask the Lord how He would have you serve and what He would have you give to this eternal work.
– Pray for a burden to share the Gospel with those who do not know Jesus. Ask God to put an urgency in your heart to share with them before He returns.
– Pray together with your family about the commitment you will make to the Forward initiative.