God's Word is our Great Reward --Part 2

Last Wednesday we began to examine the second part of Psalm 19:11.  This is the last verse in the study we have been doing on Psalm 19:7-11.  Let's review the line: 

“And in keeping them [God's commands] there is great reward.”

If you remember, we discussed the Hebrew word for keep (shamar). We also looked at the great reward that is awaiting us in heaven.

On top of all that though, we will also be rewarded here in this earth, although the measure is very small in comparison to the glory awaiting us.  Still, it is comforting to remember that our sacrifice for obedience does not go unnoticed and unblessed in this world.  James 1:25 grants us a small picture of what this means: 

"But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

Joshua 1:8 also reminds us that if we will be careful to observe and do all the things written in the Scriptures, we will be prosperous and successful wherever we go.

I like what Thomas Brooks said,

The joy, the rest, the refreshing, the comforts, the contents, the smiles, the incomes that saints now enjoy, in the ways of God, are so precious and glorious in their eyes, that they would not exchange them for ten thousand worlds. 

Oh! if the vails, [Gratuities, presents] be thus sweet and glorious before pay-day comes, what will be that glory that Christ will crown his saints with for cleaving to his service in the face of all difficulties, when he shall say to his Father, "Lo, here am I, and the children which thou hast given me." Isaiah 8:18. If there be so much to be had in the wilderness, what then shall be had in paradise!

My friends, we cannot fully realize the benefits of keeping God's Words until we actually go out and do it.

The Motive

But honestly, although this is our reward, it is not our motive.  We keep God's commands 1) because He, the almighty, holy, and just God, commanded us, but also 2) because we love Him.  Jesus Himself established this as the way we can demonstrate our love for Him and our thankfulness for what He has done on the cross.  He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15)

A little later in that chapter He says:

"Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” ~John 14:21

This is how we demonstrate how much we love God, by obeying His commands.  It's not merely forced upon us or something we "have" to do, keeping God's commands (Psalm 19:11) is something we do out of love.

2 John 6 says,

"This is love, [this is the way that we demonstrate our love for God] that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it."

The Keeping

It all comes back to obeying the commands.  Yes, we have a great reward awaiting us, and no that is not our purpose (love is), but whatever may be, we must keep these commands.  We must treasure them in our heart, guarding them in our minds, and obeying them with our actions.  My friends, God's Word is an ocean rich and deep with treasures.  Both within it's pages, and as rewards for obeying them.  But we must open the book.  We must apply ourselves diligently to it. And we must submit ourselves in obedience to it's commands.  Let us demonstrate our love for He Who gave His all for us by obeying His commands. We'll leave the reward in His hands, knowing however, that it will come, just as Psalm 19:1 has promised.

I leave you with this quote by Charles Spurgeon: 

"Then shall we know the value of the Scriptures when we swim in that sea of unutterable delight to which their streams will bear us, if we commit ourselves to them."