Hello! Happy weekend!
Welcome back to another round of Five Minute Friday Free Writes — our weekly blog link-up where we free write for five minutes flat on a single word prompt.
To learn more about how the link-up works, click here.
(And if you’ve been here before, I should warn you that the link-up looks different from what we’re all used to . . . Sorry about that! The tool I use to host the link-up had a mandatory upgrade and this is how it’s gonna be from now on . . .)
We’ve been spoiled to have guest writers the past two weeks in a row — first Betsy De Cruz, then Christie Purifoy. And now I’m excited to get back to writing with all of you again!
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: REWARD
This semester at our church, the ladies are going through Jen Wilkin’s Bible study called God of Covenant, on Genesis 12-50.
We recently reached Genesis 15, where God says to Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
And I just had to pause and think about these words. It struck me so deeply that God is saying that HE is Abram’s reward.
Not just land, not just descendants, not just possessions, but HE HIMSELF is Abram’s reward.
How amazing is that?
This past weekend I had an opportunity to speak at a women’s retreat about the blessings and benefits of living with an eternal perspective. And I confessed during one of my talks that I haven’t always desired God above all else, even when I’m thinking about heaven.
In fact, it wasn’t until after my mom died in 2011 that I started thinking more about heaven, even though I was a professing believer at the time. And then it bothered me, because why would I only start thinking about and longing for heaven after I knew she was there? Why was I not longing for heaven solely because GOD is there??
I had to think about these questions for quite a while, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I eventually came to the conclusion that I had made my mom an idol. I had elevated her above God in my mind and heart.
The Lord used this realization to convict me and to increase my desire for Him and Him alone.
As David says in Psalm 16, “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’ . . . Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.”
You alone.
STOP.
+++
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And now, it’s time to write! What comes to mind when you think of the word, REWARD?
Share with us in five minutes or less, either in the link-up or in the comments below:
WoW! Kate, that revelation could be life-changing for you. He alone.
Oh Kate, I too idolized my Mum. But I thought of heaven since I was little, but with fear because I believed people like my Mum were good enough, but I could never be. As my Mum lay dying, confessing her weakness and sins freely, my eyes opened to heaven in a new way, as I began to see that all the good things in my Mum had always been God in her. And it’s then I also let God into parts of my heart I had shut off, no longer downplaying harm done to me and my yearning to be known in a deeper way. My Mum gave me such a gift by breaking the pedestal I had put her on. Thank you for reminding me.
A mother’s job is one that never ends. One that is exhausting, overwhelming, but oh so special, too.
In the middle of it all, however, I find myself tiring of doing what is good. Tired of bedtime battles, tired of poopy diapers, tired of the sibling rivalries, tired of trying to get it together only to find myself (and everyone else) falling apart.
Only twice have I really wanted to just get in my minivan and drive away (once was right after having baby #3 so I’m blaming that on the crazy hormones!)
But I’ve found that it’s in those moments of complete “done-ness” that God meets me and reminds me of who He is
He is my reward.
He is the One I do this for. He is the one who has given me every desire in my heart with my three precious children. He is the giver of all things good and He is the One who will help me keep pressing on and doing what is good.
For Him, my reward. It’s not a crown we get here on this earth. We get spit up on, thrown up on, peed on, kicked, yelled at, etc…we don’t get thanked or appreciated the way our selfish hearts desire BUT we get Him and the reward He has for us if we keep pressing on and doing what is good.
Lord help us to lean on you, to do things for You, to know that You are with us, and for us giving us strength to keep pressing on.
(This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!)
Kate- I PM’d you on IG- I’m away from a computer and couldnet get the link up to work so am posting here 🙂
This is my first time to participate and I’m so grateful for this opportunity to turn back to the promises of God in the messes of motherhood! 🙌🏼
Your words convict me. I don’t long for Jesus enough. I’m struggling today with something that’s going on at work, and your words soothed my angry temper and tempest of the heart.
Kate, just…wow.
Hard to think of heaven for me sometimes.
Upon this flickering nightmare land
where peace and rest are rumour
I feel the stab of cancer’s hand,
“Whoa, dude, another tumour!”
This monster hasn’t killed me yet,
and he chose the wrong opponent
So go to Vegas, place the bet
on me, for this is my moment.
I shall never beg for mercy;
where I stand, I’m good to go.
I know my courage won’t desert me
and I will pay back every blow.
I fight in hell, smell of smoke
and this is my reward bespoke.
Here is my entry for this week
https://writingsusanb-rouch.blogspot.com/