In the Land of the Living

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

that I would see the goodness of the Lord

in the Land of the living.

Wait on the Lord;

be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14

Sometimes serving God doesn't pay much, but the retirement benefits are out of this world. Or so they say. My mansion is not here, it's over on the other side. There's no treasure for me here, it's over there too. My robe, my harp, my crown...these I hope to receive when I see Jesus face to face, by and by, in the sweet land of rest.

But what about now?

Sometimes serving God is a thankless life. The world doesn't understand our desire for holiness. The devil hates our guts. The church often doesn't recognize service as much as it demands it. And all the blessings we thought we would receive once we started serving the Lord have yet to materialize. Where are the open windows of heaven? Where's all that bread that's supposed to come back on the tide? When will all things start working together for some good?

Simon Peter put it this way to the Lord one time. "Lord, we have given up everything to follow you, and we've not asked what's in it for us. But Lord, what's in it for us?"

Sometimes following the Lord means sacrifice. Jesus Himself said that if we wanted to be His disciple, we must first deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow after Him. He said, "If you love father, mother, sister or brother more than you love me, you're not worthy of me." But to Simon Peter he replied: "Simon, I promise that whatever you gave up in this life to follow me--friends and family, houses and land--you will receive it all back again, in this life AND in the one to come.

Life doesn't always go as you planned. Ask Jeremiah. Ask Noah. Ask Job. And sometimes there is a temptation to throw up our hands and say, "Nothing is worth all this trouble! I don't deserve this! God, where's my reward!"

But the Psalmist caught a glimpse of something when he wrote, "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path." Surrounded by enemies that slandered his name, David said, "I would have lost heart..." I would have given up. I would have thrown in the towel. I would have waved the flag. I would have sat down and said, I'm not going any further. It's just not worth it! "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed..."

Serving God takes a measure of faith. It involves trusting and obeying, and following even when we don't know tomorrow's destination. It involves listening to the Spirit of God and saying, "Yes Lord," even when we don't know what the end will be. But of one thing I am certain: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I know I won't have to wait until I'm dead and in heaven to taste the fruit of the land, to sample the milk and honey. There is a harvest to be reaped in this life, there are rewards bestowed in the here and now. I just have to wait for them.

And waiting is not the easiest part. But David encouraged us to be of good courage--God will strengthen our heart when we wait upon Him!