reward

This week we begin worship with:

Matthew 5:11–12

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Slow down.  Reread that first word, "Blessed".  Notice please that it is past-tense.  We have already been blessed.  It has already happened.  Find the word "is".  It is in the present tense.  Our reward is already prepared and waiting for us.

As a manager, I plan the year.  I give heroically challenging assignments to my best people.  I plan the rewards they are going to receive at year-end reviews.

God has planned it all.  He has both our rewards and our challenges waiting for us to experience them.  

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

We pray to be protected.  Shouldn't we rather pray to be blessed?   And for the faith necessary for the day's assignment?