Isaiah 49:4 NIV says--"But I said, 'I have labored to no purpose; I have 
spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the 
Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God.'" May this precious verse and the 
message below encourage your heart today and remind you that the Lord sees 
and appreciates all your efforts for His kingdom and glory. 

OUR "UNREWARDED" WORK

"There is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what 
kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the 
fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the 
fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the 
builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but 
like someone escaping through a wall of flames." 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NLT

Have you ever had days when you questioned why you were so committed to 
living the Christian life, doing the Lord's work? I have. Sometimes you 
look around and all you can see are people living for themselves, instead of 
the Lord. Many times it looks like unbelievers are being blessed more than 
we are. But I think what's the most disheartening is seeing so many 
Christians living mediocre lives. I'm referring to believers who go to 
church on Sunday, and maybe even are active in the church, but live lives 
devoid of a real passion for God. Often, these same people look at you like 
you're some sort of fanatic because you aren't satisfied having a superficial 
relationship with God. It's enough to make you want to scream. Or cry.

I love the above verses by the apostle Paul. They remind me that when we 
get to heaven, all the things we did here out of love for the Lord will 
finally be rewarded. On the other hand, those believers who served 
themselves or served God with wrong motives will find that their rewards will 
not follow them into heaven. They themselves will be saved, but they'll have 
nothing to show for their lives after they leave here. But those of us who 
gave of our time and ourselves, often with little or no earthly reward, will 
find an abundance of heavenly rewards waiting for us. Remember all those 
prayers you prayed when no one knew except you and God? What about all those 
times you said "no" to yourself when everyone else was doing what they 
pleased. And how about all the time you spent serving others, without ever 
seeing a single penny for it? Think of all the things you've done--or not 
done--out of love for the Lord that earned you little or no recognition or 
reward here on earth. These are the things that God holds closest to His 
heart. They are the very things that will bring you the greatest rewards 
from Him when you reach your heavenly home. And now I encourage you . . . 
"Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that 
your labor in the Lord is not in vain"! (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Lord, when I'm tempted to think that You don't see or appreciate my 
efforts to please You, remind me that nothing I do for You is in vain. More 
importantly, keep me focused on You and Your will, and not whether I'll be 
rewarded. Don't ever let me be satisfied with making a shallow commitment to 
You. Thank You that my devotion and dedication will allow You to use me in 
awesome ways for Your glory!

*Compliments of  JfH Devotionals