Receiving What You Asked For

We are going to receive what we are due. When we do something wrong in this world, we are accountable to the consequences of our actions. Yes, we may be forgiven for our sin by God, but we are still accountable to punishment according to man. It is about our choice though that leads to our forgiveness by God. We choose Him over man and He continues to provide for and bless us as heirs to heaven.

“¹⁹For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” – Romans 1:19 (ESV)

We know God because He has revealed Himself to us. He has shown us who He is and what He does and gives us love that we do not deserve. And yet…

“²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” and “²⁹They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” – Romans 1:21 & 29-32 (ESV)

Even as we/they know/knew God, the choice is to go against Him. The choice to follow the world and not the LORD runs rampant in the world, even today as before. We are slaves to the instant gratification of the now and continue to do and approve others to do those things that are destructive to ourselves and the relationship we have with the Father.

“²⁸And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” – Romans 1:28 (ESV)

As such, The LORD gives us up to our desires and allows for our destruction. We make the choice to follow ourselves and God allows us to follow our choice. Our choice is asking for the consequences and as such we receive just what we ask for. The LORD will be right there with us waiting for our turn to Him and away from the destructive things, but He will allow us to take on the destructive things and the consequences of them until we choose Him.

What are you choosing? Are you choosing today those things that are giving you instant gratification without thought of the consequences? What if you were to choose the LORD and His ways instead, knowing that we will receive what we ask for?

The Due Reward

What have we done and what is our reward? Well, it is pretty simple when we look at it. We have work to do in this world and for that work we will be rewarded.

“³⁹One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” – Luke 23:39 (ESV)

We see here the words of those who were crucified along with Jesus. Knowing that Jesus is the Christ, the one knows that He could save Himself. The criminal also takes the selfish approach asking to be saved as well. The man was looking to get out of the death sentence that he was due as a result of the work he had done. The sentence he was receiving was in line with his deeds according to the law.

“⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’” – Luke 23:40-41 (ESV)

And then we have the other criminal crucified along with Jesus. The man understood who Jesus was and called Him out just the same. Except, He did not ask for his own redemption as he knew and understood the reward for his deeds was right where he was. But, he also knew that Jesus was doing something extraordinary. Jesus had done nothing wrong and was receiving an unjust reward for His deeds. Jesus was being crucified for the deeds of others and not His own.

Isn’t this something. We are accountable for the actions and deeds we undertake. We are to receive reward for those deeds, and the reward is not always something that we find pleasing. Our reward is in line with the action. We commit a crime, we are punished in the law. We avoid giving of ourselves and we do not receive help when we need it. When we provide for others, we receive the picture of joy on their faces. We show up, and we get to celebrate with those we showed up for.

The second criminal understood the reality of receiving the reward for the deeds committed. He may not have liked the idea of dying for it, but understood that he was accountable to the consequences of his actions. He also understood that Jesus had done nothing to receive death. He knew that Jesus could save Himself, yet was doing something extraordinary for others, even himself. This man knew of receiving due reward.

“⁴²And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ⁴³And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” – Luke 23:42-43 (ESV)

This second man accepted the reward he was to receive. But he also accepted the gift Jesus was giving. He did not ask for something other than the reward he was due, but thanks to his accepting of Jesus for who He was and the gift He was giving, the man received the reward of eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

You see, we are due to receive rewards for our actions. Yet we can also receive redemption for those actions through Jesus. And we can receive justification through our faith in Him. And when we do, we receive the due reward that comes, eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

What is your due reward? Are you receiving that which you deserve based on your actions? What if you believe in your accountability and accept the consequences, and accept that Christ died for your actions and have faith in Him to wipe away your sin and provide the due reward of eternal life in heaven with Him?

God’s Choice

There may be things that are bigger and grander and stand out more to the eye of man, but God’s choice is more than enough.

“¹⁵Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,

Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

¹⁶why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,

at the mountain where God chooses to reign,

where the Lord himself will dwell forever?”

— Psalm 68:15-16 (NIV)

The mountain range to the north of Mount Sinai were certainly bigger and grander than God’s chosen dwelling place. They were, to the eye of man a more fitting place for God to set up as His place of residence. But here’s the thing, God does not do things to please the eye of man. He chooses based on His wants and needs and not ours. The grandeur of those mountains to the north may have been impressive to man, but to God, they were just another mountain range. Sinai is the choice of God.

“¹⁷The chariots of God are tens of thousands

and thousands of thousands;

the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.”

— Psalm 68:17 (NIV)

God does not need man to accomplish His tasks. He will use man, but does not need Him. He does not need the biggest and grandest, He is more than enough for all that He sets out to accomplish. God has thousands upon thousands of warriors now and forever. When He sets out for something nothing or no one will stand against Him in success. God sought Mount Sinai as His resting place and that is where He will rest.

Too often am I looking for some way to be enough for me and my family. I am the provider for them and look to make their lives as comfortable as possible. But God is where I find enough as I am certainly not. I don’t have the best solution in mind, I have my solution in mind. God’s solution for me and my family is enough. I will find peace where He leads me and not where I go on my own. God has thousands upon thousands preparing the place for me, it is up to me to allow Him to prepare it and arrive there as He leads me. God’s choice is His choice and much more than enough.

How are you getting along with choice? Are you out there choosing on your own and hoping it is enough in the eyes of man? What if you were to rely on God to choose for you knowing that His choice is much more than enough?