In chapter 14 Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and all his family and the kingdoms of Sodom and Gomorrah are kidnapped by several other kings and taken captive. Abraham and his men go to rescue Lot and the other prisoners. The king of Sodom then comes to Abraham in order to thank him and to reward him for his service.

But Abraham refuses the reward.

He doesn’t want the king of Sodom to be able to say, “Abraham became rich off of me.” Instead, Abraham wants the world to realize his blessings, his riches, come from God Himself.

But the topic doesn’t end there.

In the very next chapter God comes to Abraham and says “I am your reward.” And as one commentary states, “Abraham may not have the reward, but he has the God of the reward.”*

If the choice were given to you – which would you choose?

Wealth unimaginable,
universal popularity,
treasures untold,
fame,
fortune,
riches of any kind
– would you sell your soul for these?

Or, would you be like Abraham, politely decline, and say “I will accept nothing less than God Himself as my reward. Keep your silver, keep your gold, keep your pearls, your jewels, your clothing, your animals, your servants. As for me, I want Jesus.”

In other words, keep the reward. I want the God of the reward.

What does it mean to have the God of the universe as your reward?
Well, on the one hand it means:
to no longer belong to yourself, but to Him.
to put His ways higher than your’s,
His desires first,
He becomes the Master and you the slave.

God does not come lightly, nor without cost. For He will only come as God, nothing more, and nothing less.

But on the other hand, it also means:
to not only have peace available to you but to know the Prince of peace intimately.
to not only have love and feel love, but to know the God who is love personally.
to have the Lord God of the universe as your Reward means to know the reason you were created,
to fulfill your purpose for existence,
to belong to something and Someone greater than yourself,
to have everything though you may have nothing,
to be full even when you are empty,
to never be alone,
to never fail too much or fall too far.
to be lost in the wonder of all that God is
and to be amazed at all that He has done and all that He will do.

Which would you choose?

Believer, as family members in the Lord may we declare together “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

*Waltke, Bruce K. Genesis: A Commentary, 241