The most rewarding life is Christianity. It truly pays to serve Jesus now and eternally. The challenge of loyalty before God is exacting and exciting. To follow the Shepherd wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4) will take us into many demanding regions and even the shadow of death. But, to those who bring even their thoughts into captivity unto Christ (II Corinthians 10:5), it is a journey that always eventuates in triump (II Corinthians 2:14) As the song writer aptly stated: The toils of the road will seem nothing when we get to the end of the way.

Serving the Lord means self-denial (Luke 9:23); a pilgrim journey in a foreign land (I Peter 2:11); a devotion that never looks back to yesterday (Luke 9:62); and the sacrifice of all that mundane interests hold dear (Luke 14:33). In fact, children of God dare not even love family ties and the bonds of kinship to the extent of hindering full allegiance to the Lord (Matthew 10:37; Mark 3:35). However, in view of such unstinting devotion, we have a Redeemer who shall never leave us or forsake us (Hebrew 13: 5-6) and a promise of abundant blessing in this present time, and in the age to come (Luke 18:30).

A closer walk with God often brings earthly rebuffs and human reprisals. Paul learned that lesion vividly. Nonetheless, he gladly counted past achievements as worthless in order to gain Christ (Philippians 3;4-9). Stephen gave his life for a cause deeper than physical existence (Acts 7:60). James and John learned the lesson of walking hand in hand with the Master in the tribulation that attends the Kingdom (Revelation 1:9). Some saints in the early days of Christianity were willing to be burned at the stake or sawn asunder rather than deny the Lord that bought them. Their fidelity, even in the face of death (Revelation 2:10), is a tribute to the rich, glorious, and eternal joys of devotion and duty.

God's tomorrow shall certainly be brighter than today! As Jesus cogently affirmed, so we eternally believe, Great is your reward in heaven. In spite of having the sentence of death to contend with daily (I Corinthians 15:30); II Corinthians 1:9), Christians of the first century looked forward to the glory yet to be revealed (I Peter 4:13).