Have you ever asked yourself, “Should I follow God for the reward?” I’ve been asked this question before, and the answer is, “Yes, of course!” There are so many references to the reward in the Bible. In Malachi, God tells us that there is a reward for tithing. In Deuteronomy, God states there’s a great reward for those who follow the commands, including full barns, and healthy flocks; you’ll be above and not beneath, the head and not the tail. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses the word “reward” over and over.

In Western thinking, there is a concept that implies we have to follow God because of some abstract idea of duty, obligation, and honor. Don’t get me wrong, these are all noble and good concepts, and I hope you have these virtues. However, God does not ask us to follow Him just because we ought to, or because we should. God is asking you to commit your life to Him because He loves you. 

Friend, there’s a great reward in doing life with God. And sometimes that reward is our daily bread or an important relationship. The real gift is eternal life, the best kind of life we can have. God’s call to us is to be His disciples, to devote our lives daily to being more and more like Him.