Rewarded

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

REWARDED

2 Sam 22:21-25

21 "The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 23 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 24 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 25 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

NIV

Another Stanza in this song of David, and this one speaks of the faithfulness of David in keeping his relationship with the LORD first in his life. Interestingly, David speaks in the past tense as he said how the LORD has dealt with him according to his righteousness, and the cleanness of his hands, and that the LORD has rewarded him. We wonder if we always think that our reward is eternal life, something that will happen when we lay our bodies down. But David speaks of being rewarded. Was David truly righteous, and did he really have clean hands? We know he was a man of war, yet he claims in this stanza that he had kept the way of the LORD. The evil he speaks of is turning away from his God. Certainly, our righteousness is in Jesus, and we are blameless and holy in the sight of God. It is also true that our Lord deals with us because of his own cleanness and righteousness, but as we walk and talk with him, and make every effort to follow his decrees, and that we have not turned away from him, he has rewarded us. There are so many ways he has already rewarded our faithful discharge of his commands. Of course, over the years, some believers we have lived alongside have created lists of their own to live by, the old “Do's and Don’ts” that have morphed over time in accordance with the current culture. But to live in accordance with the decrees of the Lord means there is no change in our thinking or attitudes and our behaviors, except to increase in every increasing reflection of the glory of our Lord. God has already rewarded us by sending Jesus so that through faith in him we have eternal life. However, his reward is also physically giving us all that he has. He has just kept giving us things the pagans chase after. How much more could we ask for? What else in this life do we need? We have everything there is to have. But the most wonderful gift he keeps giving us is the joy in our hearts, the contentment within from knowing Him and having His divine influence in our lives. His gift of leading us to green pastures and leading us to lie down, to rest our souls, our spirits beside His still waters, and how every day He restores our souls. He blesses us each day with His assurance, His love, His guidance, and the work of His hands in our lives. How he rewards us for staying the course, keeping his decrees, as we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Thank you, Lord, you are so good to us. Thank you for your reward.