The Smile of God

For a couple of days this week we’ve had some work done on our church’s driveway to solve some issues when it rains, so I’ve been out to check on how things are going with the guys working on it. One guy in particular has been a HUGE blessing to our church, Terry !  He’s been coming to church for a couple years now and has been a “God send”.   I looked at the effort and talent he put forth and was amazed. And whenever it snows he’s there faithfully plowing us out, often after plowing long hours at Penn State.  I look at how God has worked in his life and am more amazed.  And I’ve told him if I ever were to strike it rich I’d buy him a brand new truck, ha !  I’m sure he’s not holding his breath on that one.

These kind of folks are the true treasures of the church. And as you read this perhaps you too have faithfully served the Lord in other ways. God smiles on what we do FOR Him, big or small.  A special verse to me has been Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unrighteous  to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

There’s a lot to contemplate here in this one verse.    God will never forget because He is righteous.  People are prone to neglect a “slap on the back” or appreciative remark, a simple thank you. God is never so.     The word “your” here speaks to God’s look at YOU and what YOU do FOR Him.   God keeps GOOD records. We know He buries our sins in the deepest sea when we confess them to Him but He does not bury your good works for Him !    The last part of the verse suggests someone who is persistent in serving FOR Christ, and yes many times that entails ministering to the saints.  It is not the “flash in the pan” who does something specatacular and fizzles out at the first sign of hardship or lack of appreciation that is alluded to here but instead the one who keeps on serving out of a LOVE for the Lord !    Don’t allow the sin of men to deter you from doing that, a heavenly award awaits and part of that, the smile of God and the sound of His voice saying, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” !