Read Jeremiah 41 – 45
And seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. Jeremiah 45:5 KJV
These words were addressed to Baruch, the associate of Jeremiah. Apparently, he thought his life should have amounted to more than it had. He expected some personal fame and wealth; markings of success. After all, he had spent his life serving the Lord, and making many sacrifices. We often fall into the same way of thinking. We think we deserve greater benefits and blessings because of all we give up to serve God. We expect to be healthier than most, wealthier than most, and more respected than most. Of course, such thinking is foolish, selfish, and the wrong motivation for service. We do not serve the Lord because of what we can get out of it, but because of Who God is and all He has already done for us. Service flows out of worship and gratitude, not the expectation of personal gain. God reminded Baruch his own life was his reward. We forget our very life is a gift from God.
Lord, I am ashamed to admit that sometimes I think like Baruch. I think about all I have given up to serve You, but somehow forget about all I have received in return, starting with my own life. Of course, everything that I am and have comes from You, so by serving You I lose nothing but gain everything. Thank You Lord for the blessing of just knowing You, and for all the benefits of serving You.
A question to ponder: What do we gain by serving the Lord that would never be possible if living only for personal gain?
