I Am Your Very Great Reward

I Am Your Very Great Reward

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” –Genesis 15:1 (NIV)

It was my first day back to my weekly Bible study after Hope’s birth. My heart was heavy, my emotions were raw, and I felt desperate to hear God speak to me. And he did! From the first book of the Bible—written by Moses so long ago—the words spoken to a fearful Abram seemed to be just for me. “Don’t be afraid, Nancy. I am your shield, your very great reward.” That day I wrote in my journal, “This was timely for me as various fears creep up on me—fear of what Hope’s seizures will be like, fear of her pain, fear of loneliness and heartache when she’s gone. I know God is my shield right now and he is protecting me, so I need not be afraid. God himself is my very best reward. An intimate relationship with him is the most valuable thing I can possess.”

God knew the fears and questions in the heart and mind of Abram as he lay in the dark in his tent. And God came to him, beckoning him not to be afraid, promising him the resources of the Great I AM for his protection and blessing, saying, “I am the sufficient answer to all of your fears!”

Likewise, God knows the fears and faith struggles that keep you awake in the night. And while you might not hear an audible voice, God’s words come to you with the same sure promise and soothing power as they came to Abram: “Do not be afraid.” God beckons us to leave fear behind as he offers himself to us as an invisible shield of protection. With him as our shield, we know that nothing can touch us or hurt us except by his permission. We are safe.

But God does not just want to protect us; he wants to bless us. And he knows just what is worthy of being prized above anything or anyone else. He is our very great reward—our most precious treasure, our most satisfying joy. The reward of believing God and trusting him with our fear is the security and sufficiency of God himself on our side, in our corner. God has many good things he wants to give to you, and he will give you everything he has promised. But the most valuable reward you will receive for believing God and obeying God is God himself. He is your very great reward. Enjoy him.

My great Reward, what a relief to know I can trust in your protection and treasure your very presence in my life. Help me not to trust in lesser saviors or treasure lesser rewards.

DIGGING DEEPER