Look to Yourselves

This morning I read 2 John during my quiet time with the LORD.  2 John 1:8 caught my attention:  "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward."  Things that grab my attention usually make me think.  Hebrews 12:3 says we are to look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.  These verses are not contradictory but complimentary.  Looking unto Jesus ought to be our primary concern and focus, since He is our Savior and Light of the World.  We ought not to be self-focused, but there is a healthy need for thorough self-examination.  We are called to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  We need to take heed to ourselves for the purpose of seeing whether we are in the faith or not, if we are abiding in Christ, and remaining obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading.

What struck me in this verse is the possibility of working for something and losing the full reward.  It is God who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.  We have salvation through the free gift of Jesus Christ and His shed blood, who alone can reconcile a man dead in His sins with God and breathe the breath of life into his soul.  The scripture talks about people who enter heaven "as by fire," people who have narrowly escaped hell.  Eternal life, though a great reward, is their own reward.  I wrote in my notebook this morning:  "Our Savior comes quickly, and His reward is with Him.  It is possible to enter heaven without great reward, and only a fool would aspire to such a heavenly entry.  We are rewarded for the glory of God.  Is it not wise to glorify God now so we may glorify Him even more in heaven, His reward being a testimony not of our greatness but of His?"

Pastor Dale said this morning the Bible reveals God asks for three things of people:  glory, praise, and thanks.  God is worthy of these things and is willing to receive them from sinners once opposed to Him, people like me.  How wonderful it is that the more we receive from God the more glory we can give to God.  Those who have been forgiven much love much.  Those who have much of worldly glory often become thankless, arrogant, and proud.  May it not be true of those who have received much from God!  My mind went immediately to Micah 6:8:  "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  When we do what is right God will receive the glory, praise, and thanks of his people and those who are not yet His people.  How many times did people see the wondrous works of Christ and give God the glory?  We have been created unto good works that people may see them and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

May we look to Jesus and look unto ourselves.  There is a song that goes, "Search me O God, and know my heart.  See if there be anything at all that might keep me from hearing you, keep me from knowing you, keep me from loving you, O LORD."  We could add to it, "See if there be anything at all that might keep me from glorifying you, keep me from praising you, keep me from thanking you."  Let us be receivers of God's full reward and givers of the love that Christ has ushered into our hearts.