A Greater Reward

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance.
–Hebrews 11:13

Besides having a greater purpose and a greater faith, the Special K Christian is looking for a greater reward. Investment advisors tell us we ought to decide where to put our money based upon our investment horizon. For example, if you are a year away from retirement, the best thing to do is to put your money in a low-risk environment. But if your investment horizon is twenty or thirty years, you can afford to take greater risks. In the short-term you may take some losses, but in the long-term you will gain more.

That is why Abraham was willing to take a short-term loss in his real-estate transaction with Lot in Genesis 13. Abraham’s investment horizon was not a year or ten years or even thirty years; his investment horizon was eternity. And because he had that eternal mindset, he was willing to take short-term losses. He believed there was going to be a payoff in the end. Hebrews 11:10 says Abraham “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Abraham was looking to the ultimate payoff: heaven.

In fact, all the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 believed in that eternal investment horizon, and they died without receiving the ultimate payoff. Look at Hebrews 11:13, 16: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. . . . They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” Abraham died without receiving the payoff. But still he died, Genesis 25:8 says, “satisfied with life.” How could that be? Because he knew the payoff was in heaven. He was looking for that city whose architect is God.

And that is really the difference between a Krispy Kreme Christian and a Special K Christian. For Krispy Kreme Christians, it is all about this life–what they can get now, what they can experience now. But a Special K Christian uses this life to prepare for the next life. The Krispy Kreme Christian has a limited investment horizon; the Special K Christian is focused on eternity.

The fact is, our circumstances are momentary. They can change from moment to moment. But the work of the Holy Spirit in us, molding us into the image of Christ–that lasts a lifetime. The Special K Christian realizes it is not about us; it is about God in us. And that realization is the beginning point for anyone who wants to experience more of the Holy Spirit’s power.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Becoming A Special K Christian In A Krispy Kreme World” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2011.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.